For the Global South's unseen middle

Building the bridges that carry Entrepreneurial Households forward.

EPIC World Foundation is a US public charity working for the millions of households building the next chapter of growth across the Global South, starting in India.

Two fishermen bring their boat ashore Members of a women's Self-Help Group stand together A family of four smiles from the balcony of their home
Who are Entrepreneurial Households?

250 million households, dreaming of more

Entrepreneurial Households are families with two or more sources of income and a pucca house. Their basic needs are met, and their focus has shifted from getting by to moving ahead. They run shops, farms, workshops and schools, often with several earning members. They spend on quality education and healthcare and reinvest in their enterprises.

Entrepreneurial Households are resilient and ambitious. The systems around them were rarely designed with them in mind. The Foundation exists to change that.

Our mission
To accelerate the economic momentum of Entrepreneurial Households by equipping them with the tools, opportunities, and recognition they need to thrive.
Projects

Our work and evidence

Research, published April 2026

EH360

How the emerging Indian middle handles money

EH360 is a large-scale research and storytelling initiative exploring how India's Entrepreneurial Households earn, save, borrow, manage risk, and build resilience.

Comprising an estimated 250 million families, these households form the backbone of the country's economy, combining enterprises, informal work, and multiple livelihoods to drive growth from the ground up.

  • — Quantitative and qualitative research
  • — Field interviews and focus groups
  • — Documentary storytelling
  • — Interactive data and findings at ehdata.org/eh360
A shopkeeper smiles as she hands a package across her counter
5,220

households surveyed

18

states

135

districts

52%

of respondents were women

Access to financial services has expanded, but access alone is not enough.

Entrepreneurial Households need financial solutions that reflect how they earn, save, borrow, and manage risk.

Engagement opportunity

We welcome opportunities to bring EH360 into your classroom, department, or research community, virtually or in person.

The project is particularly relevant for courses and research in

  • Economics
  • Development studies
  • Financial inclusion
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Gender studies
  • Public policy
Get in touch →
Our approach

Closing the graduation gap

Governments and nonprofits build skills and ignite potential in millions of households. The household is often left on its own once a programme ends. This is the gap the Foundation works to close.

  1. 01

    The gap

    Support is fragmented. Training often arrives without market access. Capital often arrives without a path to progress.

  2. 02

    What we fund

    Bridges that connect grassroots programmes with the businesses and institutions that can carry households forward.

  3. 03

    How we fund

    Early support that tests promising solutions and shows what works, delivered with NGOs, platforms, enterprises and government.

  4. 04

    What it produces

    Proven solutions and evidence that others can act on, shared openly with the wider ecosystem.

  5. 05

    The change we seek

    Institutions take up what works and bring it to more households. Households see lasting growth in income, enterprise revenue and resilience.

Why a foundation

Supporting the work that unlocks lasting opportunity

Many promising solutions need early support before they can attract investment or reach more households. This early work rarely attracts commercial investment, and philanthropy can support it with patience.

The Foundation is focused on this early work that lays the pathway to build upon. When a solution works, the goal is to hand it over to businesses, governments and institutions that can scale it to millions of households.

A farming couple inspect their crop in the field
Research and evidence

Evidence shows us where bridges are needed

EH360 and our field research show how Entrepreneurial Households earn, save, borrow and manage risk. We use that evidence to decide which solutions to support, and share it with philanthropic, research and institutional partners so that what works can reach more households.

  1. Data-ledLarge-scale research and field interviews ground every decision.
  2. EH-centricSolutions start from how households actually live and work.
  3. CollaborativeWe work through existing philanthropic and institutional networks to scale impact.

The bridges we build

The Foundation connects what already exists. Each bridge links households prepared by grassroots work with the markets and institutions ready to serve them.

Marketplace Bridge

Connecting households to markets and opportunities

Connects Entrepreneurial Households to financial services, supply chains and market opportunities that support their economic growth.

Capacity Bridge

Building the capabilities to grow

Supports practical skills, financial literacy, digital tools and enterprise management, so households can run and grow their enterprises with confidence.

Patient Incubation Bridge

Testing solutions with potential to scale

Supports early-stage ideas and pilot projects that address challenges facing Entrepreneurial Households, generating evidence and testing promising solutions before they are scaled.

A founding commitment

The founders of EPIC World committed a meaningful equity interest in the platform to be held for the long-term benefit of Entrepreneurial Households.

About

How the Foundation began

EPIC World Foundation was established in February 2024 to hold that commitment. It keeps these households a central and structurally protected beneficiary of the platform. The Foundation was formerly known as EmValu Corporation.

It is affiliated with EPIC World and operates independently, with its own board and governance. Its work spans research, narrative change and the testing of solutions that help households grow.

  • 2024Established 16 FebruaryRegistered in Delaware, USA
  • 501(c)(3)US public charityEIN 99-2683480
  • IndependentIts own board and governanceAffiliated with EPIC World
Board of Directors

Governance

The Board makes all project decisions for the Foundation.

  • Windy WilkinsDirector and Principal Officer
  • Mel WheatonDirector
  • Ty MontagueDirector
  • Shobha VenkataramanDirector
Partner with us

Help unlock the potential of Entrepreneurial Households.

We collaborate with philanthropic partners, researchers, and institutions to generate evidence, develop solutions, and expand economic opportunities for Entrepreneurial Households.

Or write to us at partnerships@epicworldfoundation.org

Thank you. We'll be in touch soon.