Walmart, Flipkart sign MoU with Telangana govt to upskill MSMEs

Hyderabad: Walmart and Flipkart announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Industries & Commerce Department, Government of Telangana, to create an ecosystem aiding capacity building for MSMEs in the state. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, Government of Telangana, and Joseph Julian KG, Program Director, Swasti.

The MoU has been signed to facilitate the development of local MSMEs towards accessing a wider domestic marketspace, to leverage online retail and enable sustained growth and commercialisation. Under the new partnership, Walmart will extend its support to help MSMEs digitise their businesses and fuel capacity building for the state of Telangana. This will enable the MSMEs to be a part of the offline and online domestic supply chains.

On the occasion, Dr Jayesh Ranjan said, “MSMEs from different parts of Telangana are flourishing and bringing recognition to our state. MSMEs form a strong backbone to the country’s economy and it’s crucial that we help them scale up and equip them with digital tools and technology to promote their business growth. We are happy to collaborate with Walmart Vriddhi to provide guidance and the support required to strengthen MSMEs to achieve greater success through the programme.”

The Walmart Vriddhi program provides a digitally enhanced learning experience through online modules with personalized feedback and one-on-one advisory sessions. Over 32,000 MSMEs have already completed the training.

Jason Fremstad, Senior Vice President, Supplier Development, Walmart, said: “We launched Walmart Vriddhi in 2019 with the intention to equip 50,000 Indian MSMEs with the skills necessary to succeed in business. From streamlining supply chains to implementing data-driven insights, these skills enable them to make informed decisions, identify emerging trends, and seize opportunities for innovation and expansion. Through Vriddhi, we are committed to empowering MSMEs with comprehensive learning opportunities to level the playing field, and help ensure that MSMEs can not only survive, but also thrive.”

In partnership with Swasti, Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program (Walmart Vriddhi) offers small businesses and entrepreneurs a complete learning platform and provides free training, in-depth expert assistance and tailored tools and skills required to grow and expand their business. To facilitate the expansion and improvement of small and medium enterprises, training seminars and mentoring sessions are conducted regularly. MSMEs are now registering for the program from tier 2 and tier 3 cities across India, along with key cities including Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Surat, Panipat and Kolkata.