Making Learning Accessible : Why Signsetu Was Chosen For Kamyab Grants 2026.

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New Delhi, Delhi, 18th of July, 2026 : For most children, learning begins with a classroom, a teacher and a textbook. For many Deaf learners, however, education begins with overcoming a communication barrier. Before they can compete with their peers, they often have to navigate a learning environment that is not designed around the way they understand the world.

Recognising this challenge and the need for innovative solutions, Kamyab Grants 2026 selected SignSetu, a Deaf-focused EdTech platform founded by Shraddha Agarwal, as one of its four grant recipients. The venture has been awarded an equity-free grant of ₹5 lakh for developing accessible learning experiences that help Deaf learners strengthen English reading and writing skills through sign language-enabled, visual and interactive education.

The recognition follows a rigorous national selection process that attracted more than 300 applications from entrepreneurs across 25 states and over 100 cities. Applicants underwent multiple rounds of screening, founder interactions, business reviews and pitching sessions before the final winners were selected. Each venture was evaluated on innovation, problem-solving capability, scalability, long-term sustainability and the potential to create measurable social impact.

Among hundreds of promising ideas, SignSetu stood out because it addressed one of the most fundamental yet often overlooked challenges within India’s education ecosystem, ensuring that every learner has equitable access to quality education.

While India has made significant progress in improving school enrolment and expanding access to education, inclusion remains an important challenge. For thousands of Deaf learners, traditional classrooms continue to rely heavily on spoken instruction, making language acquisition particularly difficult. The absence of learning resources specifically designed around sign language often affects not only academic performance but also confidence, communication skills, employability and long-term independence.

Rather than expecting learners to adapt to conventional education systems, SignSetu reverses the approach. The platform has been designed around the needs of Deaf students, combining sign language, visual learning and interactive technology to make English reading and writing more engaging, intuitive and accessible. By placing accessibility at the centre of learning, the platform enables students to develop essential language skills in an environment that respects the way they naturally learn.

During the evaluation process, the Kamyab Grants selection panel found that SignSetu combined three qualities that define impactful innovation: a clearly identified social challenge, a practical technology-driven solution and the potential to scale its impact across educational institutions and learning communities. More than creating another educational technology platform, the venture sought to remove one of the most persistent barriers to inclusive education.

The platform also reflected the broader vision of Kamyab Grants, an initiative of the Hum Honge Kamyab Foundation, which supports entrepreneurs developing scalable solutions to meaningful societal challenges. The programme was established to encourage founders who combine innovation with purpose and whose work has the potential to create lasting positive change.

Commenting on the selection, entrepreneur and investor Ajay Gupta, who leads the initiative, said inclusive education can only be achieved when learning is designed for every child, not just the majority.

“Inclusive education is not achieved simply by admitting every child into a classroom. It is achieved when every learner has an equal opportunity to understand, participate and succeed. SignSetu represents the kind of innovation India needs, solutions that remove barriers instead of asking children to overcome them. Through Kamyab Grants, we are proud to support entrepreneurs who are building a more equitable future through education,” he said.

Beyond financial assistance, SignSetu will receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, visibility support, ecosystem access and opportunities to collaborate with a network of more than 1,300 schools and universities associated with Kamyab Grants. These opportunities are intended to help the venture strengthen its solution, expand its reach and accelerate its impact across the country.

The recognition of SignSetu also reflects an encouraging shift within India’s startup ecosystem, where innovation is increasingly being measured not only by commercial success but also by its ability to solve pressing social challenges. As conversations around inclusive education continue to gain momentum, technology has the potential to become a powerful equaliser when designed with empathy and purpose.

By recognising SignSetu among hundreds of applicants from across the country, Kamyab Grants has acknowledged more than an innovative startup. It has recognised an idea that has the potential to redefine learning for thousands of Deaf students and reinforce an important principle: education fulfils its true purpose only when every learner is given an equal opportunity to succeed.