Wadhwani Foundation and PhonePe Forge Strategic Partnership to Power Startup & SME Growth in India

The Wadhwani Foundation and PhonePe Payment Gateway today announced a strategic partnership aimed at fueling growth for India’s startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The collaboration will combine Wadhwani’s flagship entrepreneurship programs — Wadhwani Liftoff and Wadhwani Accelerate  with PhonePe’s Payment Gateway solutions for online businesses, and PhonePe’s Indus Appstore - a made for India app store, creating a powerful growth engine for founders and business owners across the country.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in democratizing access to digital payments, customers, capital, and markets. Together, the two organizations will enable startups and SMEs to scale faster, smarter, and at lower cost.

Wadhwani’s Liftoff program is designed for entrepreneurs at the idea or early-growth stage. It is an always-on, AI-powered venture advisor that delivers instant, personalized guidance, expert connections, and curated resources — all at zero cost and zero equity. By integrating PhonePe’s digital payment solutions and Indus Appstore’s distribution advantages, Liftoff entrepreneurs will now have direct access to critical digital infrastructure that helps them launch and grow confidently.

For ventures that are ready to scale, Wadhwani Accelerate provides growth-stage support through dedicated venture partners, scaling playbooks, market access, and curated capital connects. Through this partnership, Accelerate participants will also benefit from PhonePe’s ecosystem expertise and digital tools, enabling them to strengthen readiness across capital, leadership, and operations while expanding their reach to new markets and customers.

With PhonePe PG’s offerings, startups and SMEs will benefit from a host of strategic advantages to manage their payment requirements: zero merchant service fee for the first three months (up to ₹5L TPV), a self-serve onboarding toolkit with dedicated account support. App-based startups will be able to leverage Indus Appstore to distribute and market their app, and reap benefits such as zero listing fees, fair commissions, and round-the-clock India-based developer support. In addition, entrepreneurs will gain from thought leadership and capability-building opportunities, including masterclasses on GTM strategy, sales engines, financial best practices, and growth playbooks delivered by PhonePe leaders.

Commenting on the partnership, Meetul B. Patel, President – Entrepreneurship, Wadhwani Foundation, said:

“Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to create jobs and drive inclusive economic growth. This partnership with PhonePe offers startups and SMEs not just solutions, but an India-first growth pathway — from customers to capital —at a scale that truly levels the playing field.”

Ankit Gaur, Head – Payment Gateway & Online Merchants, PhonePe, added:

“We’re proud to partner with the Wadhwani Foundation. This collaboration underscores our unwavering commitment to empowering businesses with cutting-edge technology solutions that drive growth, unlock opportunities, and enable them to scale.”

This partnership exemplifies a “Make in India, Scale with India” approach — harnessing technology, networks, and shared vision to build the next generation of resilient businesses.

As part of the launch, Wadhwani Foundation and PhonePe co-hosted an exclusive event on the theme “Powering India’s Entrepreneurs: From Digital Adoption to Scalable Growth.” The event featured a panel discussion with Garima Seth (Vice President, Value Bridge), Subodh Sachan (Director – Innovation & Startups, STPI), Sreyansh Chauhan (Founder & CEO, Beautywise), and Ankit Gaur (Head – Payment Gateway & Online Merchants, PhonePe). The session was moderated by Ravi Shankar, who leads the Foundation’s Networks and Liftoff initiatives and is the Co-founder and former CEO of Nearbuy.com.