At ACT, we believe technology can unlock scalable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Over the past three years, we’ve seen firsthand how tech-driven innovations can create lasting impact when paired with sustainable business models.

However, one critical gap is the lack of early-stage capital for tech-first innovators to build their idea into reality, and the absence of funding at the build stage often creates a talent gap during the early stages. As a part of a recent pilot experiment, ACT decided to help plug this gap and is partnering with aspiring social entrepreneurs to turn bold ideas into scalable solutions. 

Sakshm AI is one such organisation that’s addressing the need for market-ready skilling for India’s graduates. India produces over 1 million engineering graduates each year, yet nearly 44% remain unemployable due to gaps in both technical and soft skills. This challenge is particularly pronounced in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where students often lack access to high-quality skilling resources and placement support.

Founded in 2024 by Apurv Mehra, Sanchit Sharma, and Kashish Mittal — all former researchers at Microsoft Research — Sakshm AI is building Disha AI, an AI-powered Socratic tutor that tailors personalized learning journeys to specific tech job roles. By mapping industry requirements and fine-tuning AI models with expert insights, Sakshm AI ensures students are equipped with relevant soft skills and hard skills, practical exposure, and accurate knowledge to thrive in the workforce.

With their deep technical expertise and understanding of Bharat’s emerging workforce, the Sakshm AI team is uniquely positioned to address this pressing need. By offering skilling solutions at the ‘price of a chai,’ they are committed to democratizing access to career-building resources for students across India.

We’re excited to welcome Sakshm AI into the ACT For Education portfolio and aim for our pre-MVP grant to help them: 

• Build and refine their AI-driven assessments
• Enhance their AI models to improve learning outcomes
• Pilot their product with government and non-government partners

In addition to funding, ACT will provide technical advisory and strategic mentorship on business model development and fundraising to help Sakshm AI scale effectively.

With the ambitious goal of making 1 million students employable in the coming years by equipping graduates with job-ready skills, Sakshm AI aims to significantly improve placement outcomes and expand career opportunities for students across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. We’re excited to support Sakshm AI on this journey and look forward to seeing their impact unfold as they empower the next generation of India’s workforce.