Next Bharat Ventures brought its flagship ‘Next Billion Forum 2025’ to Bengaluru, assembling prominent voices from India and Japan to discuss entrepreneurship and impact-led growth.
Who was in the room?
The forum drew over 200 participants spanning founders, investors, policymakers and corporate leaders from both countries. Among the notable speakers: N. R. Narayana Murthy, Amitabh Kant, H. Takeuchi (CEO & MD, Maruti Suzuki India), T. V. Mohandas Pai, Dr. Pramod Varma, Nilesh Shah, Meena Ganesh, and Dhimant Parekh.
What they said
“Next Bharat has the potential to create a bigger impact than Maruti Suzuki,” said Amitabh Kant, underscoring the scale of ambition behind the platform.
Forty per cent of the audience represented Japanese corporates, reflecting deepening India–Japan collaboration at the forum.
“The Next Billion Forum has become a unique platform where entrepreneurs, investors, and corporates from India and Japan co-create solutions for Bharat 2047… the next decade belongs to impact entrepreneurs building strong, purpose-driven businesses,” said Vipul Jindal, CEO, Next Bharat Ventures.
Next Bharat Ventures: m Themes & takeaways
- Bharat 2047 agenda: panels on entrepreneurship, India’s digital public infrastructure, women’s economic participation and impact investing.
- India–Japan exchange: over 50 Japanese companies and 80+ professionals engaged with Next Bharat in the past year; three Japanese multinationals have deployed employees for a one-year immersion in India.
- Strategic MoU: Atypical Advantage, Uno Minda Group and Next Bharat Ventures announced a collaboration to create large-scale livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities.
What’s new: Residency cohort opens
Next Bharat Ventures launched the 3rd cohort of its Impact Startup Residency Program at the forum. Applications are open to revenue-generating impact startups (₹50 lakh+ ARR) in sectors including agriculture, financial inclusion, health, climate and livelihoods. Founders can apply at nextbharat.in/apply.
Also Read: On Teacher’s Day, Lessons Indian Startup Aspirants Can Learn from Founders’ Struggles
