MDIF has invested in Josh Talks, a social tech startup based in Gurugram, India.
Founded in 2015 by Supriya Paul and Shobhit Banga, Josh Talks unlocks human potential by building tools and services that enable young people to do more with their life. It currently disseminates content in eight vernacular languages and is viewed by more than 45 million people every month. In five years, the startup has expanded to include Josh Kosh, an inclusive career-guidance platform, and Josh Skills, which helps equip low-income students and job seekers in India with the training and tools they need to get a job.
“Being a mission-first organisation, we are building products and services that leverage the power of the internet to solve real problems faced by low-income households in India,” said Ms Paul and Mr Banga. “We are addressing issues faced by the youth with respect to jobs, career opportunities, acquiring skill sets and more. With over 60% of college graduates remaining unemployed in India, we launched the Josh Skills app to equip students and job seekers with relevant skill sets – such as spoken English, financial literacy, personality development – to help them become gainfully employed.”
Key Kiarie, MDIF Chief Investment Officer, said: “We are proud to partner with Josh Talks, an organisation that is leading the way in creating affordable and accessible solutions for low-income families and communities”. Mr Kiarie will be joining the Board of Josh Talks as part of this pre-Series A funding round. “We see an exciting intersection between our mission to support companies that support the flow of reliable, quality information between people in challenging environments and Josh Talks’ belief in content, community and empowerment,” he said.
Ms Paul added, “With the support of MDIF, we are looking forward to expanding our vernacular growth in India, building our skills vertical and taking josh to other developing nations”.