DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

Exchange Description: I have been involved in evolving and running several businesses that have a wide social (especially rural) footprint. My present venture is a project called ‘SoyFit,’ under which we have established a complete system of decentralized production of soya-based health products in geographically spread out micro-industries (called ‘franchisees’), under the same raw material, quality standards and brand. Extensive training, technical support, marketing support and hand-holding is available. The project in its simplest form, requires an investment of Rs 6-8 lakh from a franchisee in typical Bcities, and gives back a net profi t of Rs 1 lakh if operated on 30 percent installed capacity. We currently have fi ve units operational in North India and are expanding to another ten by November 2009. We wish to scale it up to forty units across India by December 2009. The whole project is bankable and especially designed with youth employment in mind. Health foods have a good future present and market due to rising health awareness. At a later date, we intend to involve more youth for marketing of this product line under micro-fi nancing project ‘Kaamyaab Yuva’.

We would like to get in touch with small entrepreneurs willing to set up franchisee units in their areas, enablers of youth employment, angel investors, and NGOs who think they can carry this project further.