At Malpani Ventures, we’re committed to fostering entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship within the startups we fund. We understand that startups are often strapped for cash, limiting their ability to offer employees opportunities to think and act like business owners. That’s why we are taking an unconventional approach by offering grants of Rs 1 lakh to selected employees within these startups.

This initiative is designed to spark innovation, promote engagement, and cultivate a sense of ownership among team members. Why Rs 1 lakh? Because we want to promote frugal innovation, and if you can’t accomplish something useful with Rs 1 lakh, you won’t be able to able to deploy Rs 1 crores sensibly either. For the ones who deliver results with this initial funding, we are happy to offer more money, to help them scale it up! 

Why Intrapreneurship Matters 

 Intrapreneurship is about empowering employees to think like entrepreneurs within the safety net of a startup. We believe that when employees are encouraged to act as business owners—generating ideas, solving problems, and taking initiative—everyone benefits: the employee, the startup, and the investor. 

 Often, employees are focused solely on their assigned tasks, leading to a narrow view of their role in the company. By encouraging intrapreneurship, we shift this mindset, allowing employees to see the big picture. This helps foster creativity, innovation, and long-term thinking, all essential for a startup’s growth. Employees who think like owners are more engaged, more likely to generate valuable ideas, and more invested in the company’s success. 

How the Grant Program Works 

 We partner closely with the founders of the startups we fund. The founders are in the best position to identify which employees show potential for intrapreneurship. These selected individuals are then invited to pitch their ideas to us for funding consideration. If their ideas align with the company’s vision and show growth potential, they receive a grant of Rs 1 lakh to explore and implement their projects. 

A Win-Win for All Stakeholders 

 This intrapreneurship grant creates a win-win situation at multiple levels: 

- For Employees: This is a zero-risk opportunity for employees to explore their interests, hone their skills, and showcase their leadership potential. They get financial backing to experiment and take ownership of their ideas without having to leave their current jobs. 

- For Startups: The CEO gains an extended team of intrapreneurs, enabling him or her to tap into more creative minds. Startups often struggle to incentivize employees beyond salary and equity, but this grant creates an entirely new dynamic. It helps founders identify those employees who are willing to take the initiative, think outside the box, and contribute more than their job description demands. 

- For Investors: For us, these are low-cost experiments. Not every idea will succeed, but the upside potential is enormous. If just one or two of these intrapreneurial experiments bear fruit, they can significantly accelerate the startup’s growth, creating a positive feedback loop for everyone involved. 

The Challenge and Opportunity for Founders 

 This model requires a confident and forward-thinking founder. Not every entrepreneur will be comfortable with giving employees the freedom to experiment, as it may lead to fears about losing control or employees leaving. However, we believe that founders should create opportunities within the startup that allow employees to grow, learn, and stay engaged rather than being afraid of attrition. 

By offering employees a safe space to experiment and expand their skill sets, founders can retain talent and avoid the stagnation that often drives good people away. It’s far better to provide a platform for growth and innovation within the startup than to lose valuable team members because they feel uninspired or underutilized. 

Conclusion: Intrapreneurship is the Future 

Intrapreneurship isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a powerful tool to fuel growth in a startup. By offering Rs 1 lakh grants to employees, we aim to encourage innovation, boost engagement, and create opportunities for growth at every level. This approach benefits everyone involved—the employees, the startup, and the investor. It’s time we started thinking bigger and investing in the potential within our teams.