The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has partnered with Google Cloud India, Antler in India, Paytm, Protean, and Startup India for the 'Build for Bharat' program. This joint initiative aims to tackle various digital commerce sector challenges, promoting innovation within the industry to develop pragmatic solutions. Anticipating engagement from more than 200,000 participants comprising startups, corporations, and educational institutions, 'Build for Bharat' aims to harness India's technological and entrepreneurial capabilities.

The nationwide initiative spans more than 50 cities and adopts a participatory and ecosystem-oriented approach. It involves prominent experts, leaders, venture capitalists, and incubators. To inaugurate the initiative, an event on December 4 unveiled problem statements for participants and initiated the registration process. The initiative focuses on the Retail, Mobility, F&B, Financial Services, and Logistics sectors, aiming to achieve three distinct objectives.

The first segment, named 'NextGen Ventures,' aims to stimulate venture creation on ONDC. It welcomes aspiring founders exploring various ideas or early-stage founder teams working on an idea, providing support for fundraising, company launch, scaling, and incubating new businesses. The second segment emphasizes Scalable solutions, inviting organizations and individuals, including students, to address challenges faced by Network Participants.

The third segment, 'Foundation solutions,' caters exclusively to college students (aged 18+) to propose proof of concept solutions for challenges encountered by NPs. Winners in the 'NextGen Ventures' category stand to gain exclusive opportunities from Antler in India, mentorship from industry experts, and the chance to access equity-free grants up to INR 5 Crores. These winning teams also receive the opportunity to participate in Antler Residency, potentially securing VC funding. Google India will provide shortlisted teams with Cloud credits and valuable technological guidance. 'Build for Bharat' signifies a collaborative initiative aimed at driving innovation and solutions in digital commerce, harnessing the collective expertise and creativity of participants nationwide.