DBS Foundation Awards ₹34.4 Cr Grants to 22 Impact Enterprises Across Asia, Including Ikure, Lernern & Kadam Haat from India

Grantees will collectively impact more than 4.3 million people over the next two years. New cohort of grantees addresses critical and emerging needs in their communities, from healthcare and inclusive employment to caregiving support DBS Foundation has announced INR 34.40 crore [1] (SGD 4.9 million) in grant funding for its 2025 cohort of grantees, comprising 22 businesses for impact – purpose-driven social enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises – across its core markets in Asia. The winners include three innovative impact enterprises from India: Ikure Techsoft, Lernern and Kadam Haat Basketry. This marks the 11th edition of DBS Foundation’s grant programme, which was launched in 2015 to support entrepreneurs tackling pressing societal challenges through innovative and scalable solutions. Beyond funding of up to INR 1.75 CR[i] (SGD 250,000) each, grantees will also gain access to holistic support from DBS Foundation’s and DBS’ ecosystem, including mentorship, capacity building, preferential banking solutions and collaboration opportunities with other like-minded players, to accelerate their growth and impact. In line with DBS Foundation’s mission to strengthen the social and financial resilience of vulnerable communities, the 2025 cohort addresses critical needs such as access to healthcare and income opportunities. Many are leveraging innovative approaches, including AI and digital tools, gamification, circular economy solutions and community-driven models, to scale their impact and reach underserved populations more effectively. The grantees were selected from nearly 2,200 applications following a rigorous evaluation process, which involved 415 DBS employee volunteers, including senior management, who contributed their skills and expertise as grant evaluators. The 2025 cohort reflects how businesses for impact are responding to emerging themes in their communities through innovative and scalable approaches. The three grant awardees from India are: Ikure Techsoft , which provides affordable primary healthcare to rural communities through a network of digital health centres supported by trained...