Donatekart: Revolutionizing Philanthropy – The Story of Anil Kumar Reddy, Sandeep Sharma, and Sarang Bobade

In a world driven by consumerism, three young visionaries chose to take a different path. Anil Kumar Reddy, Sandeep Sharma, and Sarang Bobade, all aged 26, came together to create Donatekart, a game-changing social enterprise that redefines the way we give. The trio, with roots in Hyderabad, embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between donors and recipients in the world of philanthropy. The idea for Donatekart was born during Anil Kumar Reddy’s volunteer work for relief efforts during the devastating 2015 Chennai floods. It became evident that while many people were eager to assist those in need, the donations often failed to align with the actual requirements on the ground. This realization ignited the spark for a novel approach to giving.

Anil Kumar Reddy, then an engineering student at the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, boldly decided to cast aside a traditional campus job placement in a grocery-tech start up. Instead, he, along with his co-founders Sandeep Sharma and Sarang Bobade, ventured into the world of social entrepreneurship by launching Donatekart. The essence of Donatekart lies in empowering individuals to donate specific supplies needed by non-profit organizations, rather than contributing money. This is achieved by assisting these NGOs in initiating crowd-sourcing campaigns and listing the precise products they require. These items range from grocery kits, medical and health facilities, equipment, construction materials, to stationery and digital devices for educational purposes.

Donatekart’s unique model encompasses sourcing these products, directly delivering them to the NGOs, and providing transparent reports on the utilization of funds. As these products are often procured in bulk, the enterprise secures an average commission of 10-15 percent per purchase, serving as its primary revenue source, alongside the 6 percent of the donation value that donors can choose to contribute to the platform. Reddy proudly asserts, “So far, over one million donors have contributed Rs 150 crore worth donations to over 1,000 NGOs.” The top causes funded on the platform include medical emergencies, animal welfare, and combating hunger and malnutrition. Their mission extends beyond the present; Reddy expresses their ambition to “build tech for retail giving in India across categories and aim to reach 1 crore retail donors over the next five years.”

Founded in August 2016, Donatekart achieved a significant milestone in 2018 by raising Rs 2.55 crore in seed funding from a group of investors led by LetsVenture. Their innovative approach to philanthropy has not only garnered attention but has also proved financially sustainable. Reddy proudly states that the enterprise is “profitable on a monthly basis” and reported a revenue of Rs 15 crore in the financial year 2021. Donatekart’s impact continues to grow as donations worth Rs 20-30 lakh are raised on the platform daily. On regular days, the average donation stands at about Rs 1,500, but during health emergencies, such as the second wave of Covid-19, it surges to Rs 3,000. The platform has successfully cultivated a culture of giving, with approximately 50 percent of donations coming from repeat donors.

Looking ahead, Donatekart is poised for remarkable growth, targeting a revenue of Rs 40 crore for the financial year 2022. Their commitment to making the process of giving easy has earned the admiration of many, including Shanti Mohan, founder of LetsVenture, who lauds the co-founders for their passion, commitment, and innovative problem-solving approach.

In a world where giving often involves monetary transactions, Anil Kumar Reddy, Sandeep Sharma, and Sarang Bobade have redefined the art of philanthropy through Donatekart. Their visionary approach to connecting donors directly with the needs of NGOs has the potential to transform the landscape of giving, bringing us one step closer to a more equitable world.