The spark to create Hearth ventures came from the opportunities and challenges in the sector
The opportunities
- The sector creates rural livelihood, empowers women and conserves diversity of culture
- Increasing preference for ethically made artisanal products among global millennial consumers
- Hand-made crafts are a natural area of competitive advantage for India with the diversity of craft and a large talent pool of artisans and designers and competitive labour costs and skill sets of artisans and designers
- Collaboration between design entrepreneurs & artisans are leading to contemporary products for international lifetsyles.
- Very low global penetration for Indian handmade at less than 3% share of the global trade in this sector.
The opportunities
- The sector creates rural livelihood, empowers women and conserves diversity of culture
- Increasing preference for ethically made artisanal products among global millennial consumers
- Hand-made crafts are a natural area of competitive advantage for India with the diversity of craft and a large talent pool of artisans and designers and competitive labour costs and skill sets of artisans and designers
- Design entrepreneurs & Craftsmen collaborations
- Very low global penetration for Indian handmade at less than 3% share of the global trade in this sector.
The Challenges
- While the sector receives philanthropy and conservation efforts from civic and state bodies, many promising enterprises have inadequate access to capital, market linkages and business mentoring.
- There are not yet enough role models that inspire enterprise viz. capital, innovation, brand building, investment, risk taking
- The sector is hard hit by the pandemic and is in need of revival
The Challenges
- While the sector receives philanthropy and conservation efforts from civic and state bodies, many promising enterprises have inadequate access to capital. This limits their opportunity to grow.
- Apart from capital, crafts enterprises require business mentoring and easier access to distribution channels to facilitate growth in global markets.
- There are not yet enough role models that inspire enterprise as well as attract capital.
- What’s missing is an ecosystem of growth where such ventures can flourish.
The Challenges
- While the sector receives philanthropy and conservation efforts from civic and state bodies, many promising enterprises have inadequate access to capital. This limits their opportunity to grow.
- Apart from capital, crafts enterprises require business mentoring and easier access to distribution channels to facilitate growth in global markets.
- There are not yet enough role models that inspire enterprise as well as attract capital.
- What’s missing is an ecosystem of growth where such ventures can flourish.
Our Vision
To ignite a vibrant ecosystem of growth capital for crafts enterprises
Our Mission
Increase access of global customers to beautiful artisanal hand-made in India products and reimagine Indian craftsmanship
Our Values
Our promise is embedded in our name
HEARTH
Building Artful
Businesses
Businesses
Our mentor fund helps artisanal, handmade crafts and circular economy enterprises achieve their true growth potential
HEARTH
Enabling with
Insight
Insight
Our sector focus and understanding ensures responsive support for craft entrepreneurs to foster profitable and sustainable growth
HEARTH
Creating
Value
Value
In Sanskrit, Arth means significance, meaning, purpose or money. This mirrors our pursuit of meaningful returns investing in the handmade crafts sector
HEARTH
Enhancing life
on earth
on earth
Handmade crafts have the power to provide livelihoods to talented artisans & influence consumers to purchase ethically produced products and services
We measure our progress in relation to these United Nations Sustainability goals and their targets
We are India's first crafts sector Mentor Fund
With our sector focus, capital and mentoring, we expect to create role models of successful businesses which leads to more innovation in this sector.
