EMPOWER: Vol 7, Issue 1 – March 2026

Dear IEEE Smart Village Community Members,

IEEE Smart Village (ISV) began in 2026 on a strong footing, all thanks to the sustained commitment of our volunteers and staff. Our collective efforts are translating into meaningful progress across several priority areas critical to our mission. As outlined in my previous update, these include growing the enterprise pipeline, convening conferences to support that growth, strengthening governance and volunteer engagement, and improving internal and external communications.

At its core, ISV’s mission is to create lasting impact in underserved communities around the world through enterprise, education, and technology. We continue to steadily expand our reach. Our annual contracts grew to around 10 by 2025, up from 4 before 2020. In 2026, we already have six proposals in final intake: four in Africa and two in China. An additional six from Latin America, North America, and South Asia are currently under review. To support further growth, we will soon introduce a new streamlined proposal intake process.

Peer to Peer Empowerment: ISV entrepreneurs at the South Asia Regional Symposium 2026 in Mumbai, India (L-R: Nibedita Panigrahy, E-Hands, India; Sreeja KG, Equinoct, India; Monica LaBiche Brown, ADP, Rwanda; Sreedhar Rao, Sunmoksha, India; Abiodun Okunola, MEED Renewables, Nigeria; Kanekwa Kachinga, Kuumba Gems, Zambia; Debendra Baruah, Tezpur Univ., India).

ISV’s regional conferences play a vital role in this growth by fostering direct engagement among volunteers, applicants, stakeholders, and leadership. These forums enable peer learning, networking, and trust-building. In February, nearly one hundred participants attended the 2026 ISV South Asia Symposium in Mumbai. In April, we will host the IEEE Smart Village Forum for China in Beijing, alongside the IEEE International Symposium on the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Electrical Engineering. Looking ahead, the ISV@Power Africa Conference 2026 will take place in Nairobi in September. We are planning our inaugural North America Summit in Canada, in partnership with First Nations University, in 2027, and we are in very early planning for our first Latin American Symposium.

To sustain our growth, a team of seasoned leaders from IEEE TAB Societies has completed updates to the ISV Constitution and Bylaws; IEEE staff are currently reviewing this document. These efforts will strengthen our organizational foundation and enhance our visibility within IEEE.

What matters now is execution. This phase depends on leadership from every level of our community. We must focus on converting a growing pipeline of applicants into sustainable, community‑led enterprises, supported by a more efficient proposal intake process. Like our intake process, our monitoring and reporting process is a “high touch” activity – we will work to harmonize this across the five regions where we operate. We will continue to invest in regional events that strengthen local engagement, deepen partnerships, and accelerate learning across regions. At the same time, we must formalize key governance updates to ensure ISV is well-positioned for scale and compliance.

Execution also requires clarity and engagement. We will strengthen our internal and external communications to ensure our mission, core processes, and impact are clear. We will focus on engaging and retaining volunteers, who are our most valuable assets for growing our enterprise portfolio and impact. As senior volunteers join, we aim to boost student and YP recruitment for their career skills development. Together, we will strengthen our reach and impact.
Our vision is to reach more of the nearly 800 million underserved people worldwide. While the path ahead is challenging, we are committed to achieving a level of impact worthy of IEEE’s global reputation.

I thank every member of this community who has answered our call to action. Whether balancing studies, careers, or retirement, your dedication of time and talent is what makes this progress possible. Please reach out to me if you wish to discuss our mission. Our impact reflects your commitment.

Warm Regards
Rajan Kapur, President, IEEE Smart Village
Note: This document was lightly edited with AI tools to improve the flow.

Program Summary

The IEEE Smart Village – South Asia Regional Committee (ISV‑SARC) Symposium 2026, centered on the theme “Scalability and Sustainability of Enterprises established under the Smart Village Initiative,” brought together practitioners, academics, industry leaders, and students over three days of dialogue, learning, and field engagement. The program opened with a keynote on social entrepreneurship. This was followed by sessions on the productive use of electricity for livelihoods and the role of community engagement. Additional sessions focused on funding beyond ISV seed support, emphasizing strong business models and governance. Panel and round‑table discussions complemented these sessions and enabled deeper dialogue among participants.

The second day highlighted innovation and capacity building through student presentations from Idea Run 2025, discussions on the ISV enterprise application process and lifecycle, and panels on entrepreneurship and business models. The symposium concluded on the third day, with a field visit to ISV‑supported microgrids and livelihood projects implemented by E‑Hands, grounding discussions in real‑world implementation.

SARC-Symp-2026 ISV-funded enterprise- Solar-powered lighting for artisanal jewelry making

Follow‑On Actions and Next Steps

The main goal of ISV Symposia is stakeholder networking; this includes applicants, awardees, seasoned ISV veterans, ISV volunteers, staff, and leadership. The organizers of the SARC Symposium 2026 went a step further by leveraging legal and corporate frameworks in India for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): they included leaders from major companies, banks, manufacturers, EPC companies, social entrepreneurs, etc., in the deliberations at the Symposium.

Several opportunities for the growth of the impact of ISV in South Asia were identified. Here is a summary of the follow-on actions:

1. “We will engage senior volunteers from the banking sector, corporate CSR, private foundations, and livelihood technology providers who participated in the symposium and expressed interest in supporting ISV. These volunteers will be onboarded as advisor‑volunteers, like an advisory board, to strengthen strategic guidance, post‑ISV funding pathways, and long‑term enterprise sustainability.
2. We will assign SARC leadership members as single points of contact for one‑on‑one engagement with advisory volunteers and establish a quarterly meeting cadence to discuss enterprise strategy, co‑funding opportunities, and alignment with CSR initiatives.
3. We will build on the interest expressed by IEEE leaders and technical experts who participated in the symposium and indicated a desire to remain engaged in ISV activities, strengthening technical mentorship, institutional linkages, and program visibility within IEEE.
4. We will manage the induction of volunteers and student participants, initially engaging student volunteers as observers and connecting them through their university faculty mentors to ensure structured learning and continuity.
5. We will expand the pipeline of potential ISV applicants by organizing workshops and webinars for entrepreneurs trained through partner institutions, introducing ISV’s seven‑step entrepreneurial process and clarifying pathways for application, prototyping, and scale‑up.
6. We will follow up on opportunities for prototype funding and targeted technology guidance from institutions in the private sector to accelerate promising enterprise concepts emerging from the symposium network.
7. We will advance post‑ISV funding models by facilitating direct connections between senior volunteers and awardees, exploring co‑funding approaches where ISV contributes a minority share, and CSR partners provide the majority, and positioning ISV as a project monitor and advisor.
8. We will strengthen university engagement and outreach by collaborating with academic departments to involve students in content creation, such as articles and videos, supporting student activities, conferences, and incubation centers through locally raised funds, identifying lead faculty champions for multi‑semester initiatives, and restarting webinar series for student centers and developers.

SARC-Symp-2026 CSR, Industry, Bank representative with ISV leadership and entrepreneurs

I am grateful to the attendees at this Symposium: these next steps would not be possible without their enthusiastic participation. I also thank IEEE staff and leadership, and E-Hands Ltd., for organizing the logistics for the Symposium.

Empowering ISV Entrepreneurs: Insights from ISV SARC Symposium

By Kanekwa Kachinga, Director, Kuumba Smart Vision, Zambia

The ISV South Asia Regional (ISV-SARC) Committee Symposium that was held in Mumbai, India, from the 22nd to the 24th of February 2026 provided me with a unique opportunity to participate in different discussions on energy and enterprise development, among other topics. The event brought together a diverse group of leaders, students, and innovators from the technology and entrepreneurship sectors, all united by a common goal: to foster enterprise and electricity growth through collaboration and support. I returned to Zambia not only inspired but also equipped with valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that both India and Africa face in enterprise development.

During my time at the symposium, I observed firsthand the myriad challenges that entrepreneurs encounter in their respective rural areas, particularly the lack of electricity to support the growth of their enterprises. It was fascinating to witness the similarities to the African context, where entrepreneurial ventures often struggle to secure the electricity necessary for scaling their ideas from concept to reality. My visit to one of the villages left a lasting impression, as I observed how lives are continuously transformed by solar energy in different parts of the world.

What stood out to me during my visit was not just the challenges but also the innovative solutions being implemented to address these issues. I learned about various programs and initiatives aimed at empowering entrepreneurs, particularly women and marginalized groups, which are crucial for promoting inclusive economic growth. This aspect resonated with me because it aligns with Kuumba Smart Vision’s mission to foster an equitable environment for enterprise development in Zambia.

“One of the key aspects I noted was the role of mentorship and networking in overcoming the hurdles faced by entrepreneurs. Throughout the event, I engaged with seasoned professionals and successful entrepreneurs who generously shared their experiences and strategies for navigating the complex landscape of enterprise development. These interactions provided me with fresh perspectives on how to create supportive ecosystems for startups back home. This experience is one that you can’t easily replicate at home; it offered exposure to information that isn’t readily available to us.”

“ISV goes beyond funding by creating powerful learning and networking opportunities. Through global forums like the ISV SARC Symposium, entrepreneurs gain mentorship, peer learning, and international connections that expose them to practical solutions, new markets, and partnerships—insights and relationships that are rarely accessible at home and that help accelerate sustainable enterprise growth.”

-Kanekwa Kachinga, Director, Kuumba Smart Vision, Zambia

Moreover, I came away with tangible connections and potential partnerships that could advance my organization’s mission in the gemstone industry. “It is well known that India is one of the gem-cutting hubs of the world. Having the opportunity to interact with people in the industry was a significant learning experience for me. The relationships I built during the symposium have the potential to facilitate cross-border collaborations, enriching the Zambian gemstone landscape by exposing it to diversified experiences and innovative practices.”

My experience at the ISV –SARC Symposium was a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of global challenges and our shared responsibility to address them through collaborative efforts. The insights I gained not only deepened my understanding of the enterprise landscape in both India and Africa but also reignited my passion for pursuing innovative pathways to empower entrepreneurs in my community. With this newfound knowledge and network, I am committed to elevating villages with gemstones in Zambia, leveraging the lessons learned in India to create sustainable opportunities for growth and prosperity.

I want to warmly welcome you to the debut editorial of the IEEE Smart Village, ISV Quarterly Empower Newsletter.

In the first quarter of 2026, the world celebrated the International Day of Education (January 24), the International Day of Clean Energy (January 26), and, most recently, the International Women’s Day (March 8). These three issues, ‘Education, Clean Energy, and Women’, are undoubtedly pillars of sustainable development, which ISV has been committed to over the years.

Sustainable futures are built where education empowers (what’s a future without an educated society?), and energy enables (access to clean and affordable energy is inarguably a gateway to implementation of bigger dreams and ideas). Meanwhile, excluding women in the execution of the two listed above is as good as not executing any because women are drivers, forces, foundations/roots of any excelling society.

At ISV, our mission is to ‘integrate sustainable electricity, education, and entrepreneurial solutions to empower off-grid communities.’ Although nearly a billion people lack access to clean energy, ISV has funded the electrification and lighting of some schools to enhance learning, courtesy of our sponsors.

On the other hand, we celebrate all women who have chosen to build careers, venture into business, and those who have made the selfless decision to step back from any or both to raise their children. At ISV, we see you. We see our female sponsors, vice-presidents, and regional chairs, committee leaders, volunteers, and developers. We see your impact, and we celebrate you all.

As we reflect on these milestones, we are reminded that true progress lies at the intersection of education, clean energy, and the empowerment of women. Together, they form the foundation for resilient communities and sustainable development. At ISV, we remain committed to advancing these ideals by creating opportunities, amplifying voices, and building a future where no one is left behind.