India: The Circle India has opened applications for the 5th Cohort of The Circle Incubation, an 18-month programme designed to support entrepreneurs building new schools or after-school learning models for children from low-income communities across India.
The programme is aimed at individuals who want to start and run education institutions that respond to the needs of their communities. Through structured guidance, mentorship and operational support, The Circle Incubation helps participants develop their ideas and launch their education models.
Participants receive support across key areas of institution building, including programme design, leadership development, governance and compliance, talent building and fundraising strategy. The incubation also provides access to mentors and a peer network that supports founders through the process of designing and launching their schools or learning centres.
Since its inception, The Circle India has supported 40 education models across India, with initiatives emerging from regions such as Ladakh, Manipur, Gujarat and Telangana, collectively reaching over 8,000 children.
Sandeep Rai, Founder of The Circle India, said, “Across the country, there are individuals who deeply understand the learning needs of their communities and are ready to build new education models. Through The Circle Incubation, we aim to support such founders with the guidance, resources and community required to design and launch schools or after-school programmes that can serve children in meaningful ways.”
Reflecting on the experience of the programme, Pahulmeet Singh, Founder of GHK Lab School, a Circle Partner from Gurdaspur, said, “The Circle taught me, step by step, how to launch our school. They became our co-pilot and surrounded us with 360 support. And now, they’re equipping us to run it. The result – transformation. Kids and communities across Gurdaspur are learning and growing. Families from different districts are demanding similar schools, families from different countries are reverse migrating. Our work, as a result, is spreading across Punjab.
After launching their schools or after-school models, founders become part of The Circle Network as Circle Partners. The network provides continued access to mentorship, collaboration opportunities and long-term institutional support. The Circle Network is ultimately looking for entrepreneurs who want to drive systemic change and transform build models that reinvent the “ME” and the “WE” transforming the life of the student but also the community around them so that they can climb out of poverty and lead fulfilling and self-directed lives.
Applications for the 5th Cohort of The Circle Incubation are now open. Entrepreneurs interested in building a new school or after-school learning model can apply online.
Application deadline: 22 March
Apply at: www.thecircleindia.org
