PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The JoyCorps Fellowship is a nine-month program for entrepreneurs in India who are running businesses in sectors including (but not limited to) agriculture, dairy farming, food processing, textiles and handicrafts, and small-scale manufacturing. Furthermore, the program is specifically for entrepreneurs who are focussing on the positive social impact that their businesses are making in their communities, as much as on financial sustainability. The Fellowship offers a combination of business training, access to an extended network of experienced business consultants, mentorship, and peer support from other entrepreneurs.

The JoyCorps Fellowship is NOT an incubator. It is aimed at entrepreneurs who have launched their businesses and are now proving their financial feasibility and social impact.

BENEFITS FOR FELLOWS

  1. A small cohort of 6-8 like-minded entrepreneurs who are in a similar stage of business, which facilitates deep connections and peer network;

  2. Each Fellow co-designs their Fellowship journey with our team, which means the entrepreneur gets to decide the resources they need that are most beneficial for their business at this time;

  3. Access to an extensive network of business consultants in all critical business areas, such as accounting, marketing, branding, market research, financial and legal compliances, product development, packaging, etc. to get practical business training either 1:1 or in a small group;

  4. Access to specialists in design thinking and wicked problem mapping to provide consultation on the social impact model of the business;

  5. Opportunities for personal growth and leadership growth through our carefully curated content on individual formation;

  6. Access to mentors who are experienced entrepreneurs themselves, for business and personal development;

  7. Monthly peer advisory sessions to enable entrepreneurs to lean into each other’s wisdom and support;

  8. Dedicated JoyCorps program guides to walk with entrepreneurs in their Fellowship journeys.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  1. The Fellowship begins in April with a 5-day immersive orientation and co-design gathering in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Besides the 2024 cohort of Fellows and the JoyCorps team, this gathering will also be attended by select mentors and consultants. There will be an opportunity for the Fellows to get to know the JoyCorps team and one another. There will be workshops on design thinking, business model canvas, social impact, and individual formation. At the end of the immersive, Fellows would have co-designed with the JoyCorps team, their Fellowship journey for the coming eight months, including the areas in business they want to focus on, what are the business and social impact goals they want to achieve in 2024, which consultants they want to work with, etc.

  2. Thereafter, from May till October, the Fellows will individually be working with mentors and consultants to put into action the plan they co-designed at the immersive. Dedicated JoyCorps program guides will be in touch with Fellows each month to understand the victories and the hurdles. Fellows will also connect with the other Fellows in the cohort virtually through a peer advisory meeting each month, where they will be focussing on immediate business concerns that they are struggling with, to offer support and insights.

  3. November is the concluding month of the Fellowship when the Fellows attend the largest annual event that JoyCorps organizes, the Business Reimaged Summit. The Business Reimagined Summit is an immersive three-day gathering of like-minded individuals in a beautiful location in India. The purpose of the Summit is to interact, share personal and entrepreneurial stories, ideas, and dreams, receive and give feedback, and be inspired by stepping away from the day-to-day demands of business. It is also an opportunity to network with JoyCorps’ entrepreneurial ecosystem, to be known, and also to get to know others deeply. The agenda of each Summit is slightly different based on the needs of the cohort, but it typically includes business training, shared insights, idea sessions, mentoring, branding, and spiritual encouragement—all designed to equip, resource, and refresh each entrepreneur for the journey ahead.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

The Fellowship is for you if:

  • your venture is in sectors including (but not limited to) agriculture, dairy farming, food processing, textiles and handicrafts, and small-scale manufacturing;

  • you are building ventures to address one or more major social issues;

  • you believe in the importance of self-work, and focussing on your holistic growth, i.e. not just as entrepreneurs and leaders, but also as whole persons.

WHICH STAGE OF BUSINESS WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE FELLOWSHIP?

To be eligible for our Fellowship, a business should be at least at the ‘Launch’ stage, which we define as follows:

  1. Business Registration: You have a legal business registration (or have a clear map to get a legal business registration in the next 6 months) 

  2. Customer Acquisition: You have demonstrated an initial customer acquisition logic (i.e. you have acquired customers beyond friends and family and through organic growth)

  3. Priority: You are committed to the venture full-time (or will be in the next 12 months)

  4. Team: You have a team of leaders/at least one co-founder who are leading the venture with you 

  5. Financials: You have some system of recording your transactions and understanding your business finances (the emphasis here is on your understanding of your revenues and expenses or cash outflows - not an accounting software or system)

  6. Social innovation: You can demonstrate attempts you have made to address a social issue through your venture 

  7. Founder: You can show your commitment to growing as a whole person

MEET YOUR MENTORS & CONSULTANTS

The mentors and consultants you will get a chance to meet and work with will be valuable resources for you. Not only are they highly skilled individuals, but they are also passionate about entrepreneurship, social innovation, and the holistic formation of entrepreneurs.

ADVAIT PRATURI (Adi) is the Director of Ergon Labs, LLC, a US-based content strategy consultancy. Adi consults networks and organizations on designing formational leadership pathways, content development pipelines, and communications strategies. He also helps lead a production team that specializes in creating curriculum for the South Asian context. Adi grew up in the US and graduated from UC San Diego. He currently lives in Mumbai with his wife, Erica, his two cats, Star and Hobbes, and his anti-social dog, Luna

ARIELLA BLANK is a certified nutritionist with extensive experience in the gourmet restaurant industry. Over the last 6 years, she has led over a hundred sessions at wellness cafés and corporates across India around gut health, anti-inflammatory eating, and fermentation. In 2018 she and her sister, Rebekah, founded Atmosphere Studio, a company that produces and sells products promoting gut health and wellness.  The sisters hire mostly women with disabilities or those who have not had access to jobs or education. Their goal is to teach useful skills and treat every employee with equal respect and dignity.

BRYAN LEE grew up in the U.S., attended Cornell University and earned his MBA from Kellogg School of Management. In 2012 he moved to Mumbai and launched Krishi Star, a social enterprise that aims to improve incomes for close to 400 small farmers, selling their products to urban restaurants and hotels. Bryan and his wife Aditi live in Dehradun, India with their young daughter.

DAVID SINGH is passionate about redemptive leadership, and leading with authenticity to support and empower people. Integrating faith into the work culture is an integral part of his leadership. David has been in the education industry for over a decade. He is the co-founder and Principal of Harbour International School which provides quality international education, and the founder of Harbour Education Consultancy Pvt Ltd.

PRATEEK DAVID KASHYAP is a content strategist, producer, and director with over 15 years of experience in multi-platform content development. He worked in broadcast and digital setups as a senior consultant with NDTV Worldwide, creating content and programming strategies for groups including Astro, Mathrubhumi, Media One, First India News, Sakshi, Fortis Healthcare, and Louis Vitton. In 2016, he founded Green Bamboo Pictures, a company that specializes in audio-visual media, branding, and digital marketing. Prateek is an alumnus of AJK MCRC, Jamia Milia Islamia College for Mass Communication.

RAVI VIBHUTY noticed that many people in villages of northern India were abandoning their land and agricultural interests in search of livelihood. His solution was to develop Smart Cold-Water Aquaponics, an efficient farming system resulting in substantially higher yields and better nutrients, all while using a fraction of the water and zero chemicals. This farming methods enable farmers with even barren lands to grow crops, thus preventing out-migration from the hills of Uttarakhand. Ravi has a Master's in Computer Applications and is Executive Head of Mountstribe.

REBEKAH SOOD is a passionate creative entrepreneur dedicated to enhancing well-being and transforming India's business landscape. With a decade of experience in Asian business, her journey spans borders, from China and Tibet to her current role in vibrant Delhi. As a founding member of Fabcafe, India's pioneering health food restaurant chain, Rebekah promotes wellness and wholesome living. Now, at the helm of Atmosphere, a redemptive kombucha brand, she continues to champion wellness and sustainability. Rebekah remains committed to fostering healthier lives and making a meaningful impact on Indian businesses.

RICKY GEORGE is an entrepreneur, musician, and creative consultant. After graduating in 2017 with a Bachelor's in Animation Design, he started his career in advertising as an art director. He also toured the country as a musician with two bands, an experience that took him to TEDX and two Under 25 Summits. In 2018 he co-founded The Whole  Shebang, an agency that provides design consulting, social media marketing, branding, digital advertising, and artist management. Ricky also serves as a creative consultant for organizations such as LiveJam, We Are Zion,  Asha Jyothi, Global Leadership Summit India, and more. He lives in Hyderabad.

SIDDHARTHA BHARDWAJ is a qualified Chartered Accountant by profession, PGDBA (Finance), M. Com, ISA(ICAI), FAFD (ICAI), and a friend of JoyCorps for many years He has and continues to help entrepreneurs with their business. He worked as an internal auditor with a reputed company for a few years before starting his own practice 8 years ago. He has vast experience in the fields of accounting, auditing, FEMA, direct tax, and indirect tax.

THOMAS ABRAHAM is the founder of T-Ventures and HR2Tech, which advises HRTech and SaaS companies on their business strategy, go-to-market, strategic alliances, and global expansion. Since April 2023, he has been the Chief Revenue Officer at Zeeve, an Enterprise-grade Blockchain Infrastructure automation platform. Thomas has over 30 years of experience across technology startups, fintech, application software, digital information services, telecom, travel, financial services, advertising, and consumer products. He speaks regularly at events on Technology, SaaS, and HRTech. Thomas is a graduate of St. Stephens College with an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi.

 
 

EXPECTATIONS FROM FELLOWS

If selected for the Fellowship, you will be expected to comply with the following:

  1. Attend all in-person and virtual events during the Fellowship;

  2. Check in with your program guides monthly;

  3. Proactively engage with your community of peers, especially in providing and seeking entrepreneurial insights;

  4. Give the necessary time to business consultants/mentors whose services you choose to access during the Fellowship.

FEES

The Fellowship costs INR 30,000 payable either in full at the time of acceptance into the program, or in two installments before and during the program. The fee is highly subsidized for Fellows, thanks to generous support of partners who believe in our vision and your businesses!

Important: JoyCorps does not wish finances to be a limiting factor in your application to the Fellowship. We encourage you to reach out to us about applying for partial or complete scholarship opportunities that are available for deserving candidates.

APPLICATION & NEXT STEPS

If you would like to be part of the Fellowship, please register your interest on the link above. Once we submit the form, one of us will reach out to you within one week to schedule a call to discuss your enrolment in the Fellowship.

Based on our Zoom call or phone call, if you and the JoyCorps team thinks this is a good fit, we will invite you to join our Fellowship which will begin in April.