Walmart Vriddhi partners with AP to empower MSMEs

Walmart Vriddhi, through its program partner Ideas to Impact Foundation, has signed a MoU with the Government of Andhra Pradesh’s Department of Industries & Commerce to help strengthen the State’s MSME ecosystem with free-of-cost training and personalized mentoring over the next three years.

The MoU, formalized at the CII Partnership Summit-2025 here recently, marks a significant step in Walmart Vriddhi’s efforts to empower an additional 100,000 MSMEs by 2028.

The program will offer masterclasses and workshops across Andhra Pradesh, to equip MSMEs with the tools to modernize, scale, and expand their reach into domestic and international eCommerce platforms like Flipkart and Walmart Marketplace.

Guided by the Government of Andhra Pradesh’s vision to prioritize MSME growth under the AP MSME and Entrepreneurship Development Policy (2024–29)–One Family, One Entrepreneur, the program aligns with the goal of building an entrepreneurial household culture by 2030.

The MoU will focus on priority clusters such as silk and garments, food processing (including cashews, coffee, and spices), jewelry, artificial diamonds, brassware, coir, engineering, handicrafts, and wooden furniture.

The rollout will begin in districts including Visakhapatnam, Guntur, and Krishna, and later expand into Anantapur, East and West Godavari, Nellore, Kurnool, Chittoor, and Prakasam.

MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas said Andhra Pradesh is rapidly emerging as a premier investment destination, driven by good governance and an investor-friendly environment.

Leveraging its rich natural resources, the State offers a skilled workforce, a vibrant MSME ecosystem, progressive policies, 175 plug-and-play MSME Parks and world-class facilities like the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub—creating opportunities to integrate businesses into global value chains and strengthen manufacturing capabilities.

Jason Fremstad, Senior Vice President of Supplier Development, Sourcing, Walmart International, said, “Andhra Pradesh’s vibrant entrepreneurial spirit makes it an ideal place for MSME-driven growth. Through Walmart Vriddhi, we’re committed to empowering local businesses with the digital tools, training, and market access they need to compete and grow sustainably.'