ONDC and Meta Collaborate to Enhance Digital Commerce for Small Businesses
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and Meta have united to support small businesses in harnessing the capabilities of digital commerce. This partnership intends to educate and empower small businesses to establish smooth conversational interactions between buyers and sellers on WhatsApp, utilizing Meta's business and technical tools. ONDC will aid these solution providers for businesses in transforming into seller apps, facilitating the integration of the businesses they support into the ONDC Network, thereby fostering commerce.
To initiate this collaboration, the Meta Small Business Academy aims to digitally train 500,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) over the next two years. This effort aligns with Meta's pledge to equip 10 million small businesses in India with the necessary skills. The Meta Small Business Academy provides certification programs aimed at empowering entrepreneurs and marketers with crucial digital marketing skills essential for advancement on Meta's platforms.
T Koshy, MD & CEO of ONDC, affirmed the organization's dedication to democratizing the digital sphere and empowering MSMEs. He stressed the significance of digital presence and expanding outreach for business expansion. Koshy perceives the partnership with Meta not only as a means to enhance the skills of these businesses but also as an opportunity for them to engage a broader customer base, fostering growth.
Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President at Meta in India, highlighted India's rapid digital evolution and the necessity for collaborations to assist millions of small businesses in establishing and improving their digital footprint. She mentioned that Meta has been actively collaborating with the government and industry to promote digital inclusivity, especially for MSMEs. Devanathan views the partnership with ONDC as contributing to the government's vision for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and supporting Meta's commitment to training small businesses, thus propelling digital expansion in India.
