Omidyar Network India captures the stories of some of the country’s boldest entrepreneurs

Putting the spotlight on entrepreneurs and innovators who are driven by passion to find solutions for the underserved and underrepresented, Omidyar Network India presents stories of these bold entrepreneurs through its newly launched video series titled ‘The Bold Ones - Innovating for the Next Half Billion.’

A compilation of 11 short videos, the series captures power-packed stories of entrepreneurs who are building for the 500 million-plus Indians coming online for the first time via their mobile phones, a segment often referred to as the ‘Next Half Billion’ or NHB.

“The show is a tribute to the power of what each Indian is capable of building and achieving, and we hope this will also help inspire budding entrepreneurs into building more inclusive solutions,” says Rohan Vyavaharkar, Director, Marketing and Communications at Omidyar Network India.

The brains behind

Bringing together the creative might of producer, entrepreneur and four-time Emmy Award winner Francis Lyons; former global head of innovation at CNN Ben Marks; emerging director Mriidu Khosla; and Gruff Animation, a studio that has worked with famed American filmmaker Tim Burton; #TheBoldOnes celebrates the spirit of innovative entrepreneurship and heartwarming stories of everyday people who dared to dream. These stories unfold in the form of nine-minute interviews, capturing their personal and professional struggles, and eventual victories as they build tech-led innovations that create deep social impact.

“The challenges each of our subjects work on are faced by tens of millions of people everyday. From limited access to information and capital to inadequate education and unreliable public transportation, these issues affect us all whether we acknowledge it or not. Yet few of us commit our careers and lives to finding sustainable solutions to these problems. The Bold Ones is our attempt to both recognise and humanise the innovators who do,” says Francis.

As per the filmmaker, what makes #TheBoldOnes stand out are the “varied journeys, motivations, and even personal vulnerabilities these real-life heroes have endured chasing ‘unique’ solutions to common but critical problems.”

Driving social impact at scale

The video interviews are mixed with archival footage and animation to bring out stories in an engaging manner. Every story creates awareness on the issues being faced by the NHB, and shows how tech-led ventures can alleviate these problem areas. The overarching objective is to pay a tribute to these entrepreneurs who are helping create a meaningful life for every Indian; and to inspire young professionals to follow their entrepreneurial dreams with resilience and commitment to create a sustainable socio-economic impact.

The stories captured in the series are a mix of for-profit and non-profit startups in varied sectors such as education (Doubtnut, Vedantu), financial inclusion (Indifi), emerging technology (IntrCity, Bijak, Credr), governance and citizen engagement (E-Gov) and property rights (Transerve, FES, Sitara).

“The Bold Ones might showcase only a part of our for-profit and non-profit portfolio but embody the spirit of each and every entrepreneur who is innovating for the NHB,” adds Rohan.

Omidyar Network India works with entrepreneurs in the private, nonprofit and public sectors, who are tackling India’s hardest and most chronic problems, with a focus on driving empowerment and social impact at scale. #TheBoldOnes is a step ahead in the same direction.

The 11-part series is live on theboldones.in. Additionally, the series is also available on Omidyar Network India’s official website and social media handles.

Watch the videos below: