The partnership between BYST and Cisco began in September 2022 with the Digital Grampreuner® Programme in Chennai and Faridabad. In April 2024, the programme expanded to Cuddalore and Villupuram, and from September 2025, to Vijayawada, with a stronger focus on institutional mentoring through BYST’s flagship Mentoring India® initiative.
From Aspiration to Enterprise
The programme provides young people with a structured pathway to entrepreneurship — from awareness and counselling to enterprise planning, access to finance, mentoring and business handholding.
Building Digitally Empowered Entrepreneurs
The Cisco-supported programme is helping entrepreneurs become more confident participants in the digital economy, with a focus on:
- Digital Skills: Using digital tools to manage and grow businesses
- E-Commerce: Connecting enterprises to wider markets and customers
- Cybersecurity: Building awareness and safer digital business practices
- Mentoring: Access to structured guidance through BYST’s Mentoring India® initiative
Looking Ahead
The programme aims to reach 8,700 youth with counselling and establish/strengthen 455 entrepreneurs, while expanding institutional mentoring and digital capabilities among grassroots entrepreneurs. The project will also train mentors mainly from MSME background to strengthen the entrepreneurship mentoring ecosystem; and create additional institutional mentors to support the students from professional and vocational institutes to take up entrepreneurship as a career option.
Together, BYST and Cisco are enabling young people to turn enterprise ideas into sustainable, digitally enabled businesses.
