A quiet corner of the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies’ (NMIMS) campus in Mumbai was recently abuzz with teenagers confidently pitching ideas, hoping to make it to Dolphin Tanki, an initiative by the Salaam Bombay Foundation (SBF), which works to enhance life skills of children studying in BMC schools, in partnership with NMIMS’ School of Business Management.
In its fourth year, Dolphin Tanki 4.0 has proved to be a coveted platform that grooms teenagers from impoverished and vulnerable backgrounds to present their business ideas to a panel of “dolphins” — philanthropic investors who fund and mentor them.
Over the last three seasons, the platform has transformed lives, helping young hopefuls to emerge from Mumbai’s slums into dignified urban living conditions through startups.
So, what inspired Dolphin Tanki? Savio Pashana, head of communications, SBF, said, the organisation chose the name as dolphins are known for their friendly nature. “So also, in this competition, the young hopefuls don’t have to repay any investment we provide. It’s a supportive, non-competitive platform designed to uplift underprivileged entrepreneurs.”
At the latest edition held last month, 20 young entrepreneurs walked away with seed capital between ₹25,000 and ₹50,000.
The selection process is simple: students who have been associated with SBF since Class 7, are allowed to join its Entrepreneurship and Incubation Centre after Class 10.
“Based on their performance there, we select the top 35 students for the first phase of Dolphin Tanki, which includes training at NMIMS. After three weeks, the students get a chance to pitch their ideas in front of a jury in the first round. The second round includes only those selected by the jury based on their presentations,” said Pashana. During the three-week training programme, students are taught the basics of marketing and business presentation.
Gaurav Arora, senior vice president of SBF said, “The event is the culmination of months of training through SBF’s Entrepreneurship Incubator, which has supported over 550 youth-led businesses, 70% of them run by girls. Participants are mentored by NMIMS MBA students, who help them shape their pitches, structure their finances and understand customer engagement.
The collaboration is mutually enriching — while the young hopefuls gain practical skills, MBA students are exposed to grassroots entrepreneurship.”
This, he said, was evidenced by past winners tripling their incomes and creating local jobs. Arora added, “Entrepreneurship should not be a privilege. With the right support, any child with ambition and resilience can build a future.”
Meena Galliara, director, Jasani Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Management, NMIMS, said, “By mentoring around 100 entrepreneurs over the last four years, MBA students have created an ideal environment for those from resource-poor backgrounds . They are now taking it forward in a ripple effect of positive change.”
