Most conversations about technology focus on startups, capital, and scaling, but Divya Gaur of CEEW believes India’s biggest opportunity lies in clean energy, rural entrepreneurship, and women-led economic growth.
CEEW goes beyond research by turning evidence into real action. Through the Powering Livelihoods program, they help clean-energy startups scale, support rural micro-entrepreneurs, and promote sustainable technologies that raise incomes and protect the environment.
In this episode, Divya explains the $50B rural opportunity, how decentralized renewable energy can transform 37 million livelihoods, and why women are becoming key drivers of grassroots innovation.
We discuss:• How CEEW moves research into on-ground deployment• The economic impact of empowering rural women• Why solar pumps, cold storage, dryers, and biomass systems change livelihoods• Barriers women face when accessing credit• How DRE reduces drudgery, boosts income, and cuts diesel use• Why sustainability and economic growth work together• How policy, finance, startups, and research shape India’s next economy• What PM-KUSUM and PM-FME get right and where they must improve• What it takes to scale livelihood solutions across India
If you want to understand how sustainability can be profitable or how rural India is becoming an innovation hub, this episode is for you.
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