FUEL to Raise ₹50 Lakh Through NSE Social Stock Exchange to Fund MBA Education for 25 Women

Friends Union for Energising Lives (FUEL) has announced its second fundraising initiative through the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Social Stock Exchange (SSE), aiming to expand higher education and employment-oriented skill development opportunities for young people in Maharashtra.

The initiative will focus on two major objectives: providing financial support for postgraduate education to 25 young women from economically disadvantaged and drought-affected communities, and preparing 2,000 young people for employment opportunities in Global Capability Centres (GCCs). The fundraising issue will remain open for subscription from November 11 to November 20, 2026.

FUEL targets 2,000 youth through industry-oriented skill development

As part of the initiative, FUEL plans to create 2,000 short-term skilling opportunities to help young people acquire the digital, technical and professional skills required by Global Capability Centres.Several corporate organisations and foundations are supporting the programme. These include VFS Global, CGI, Castrol, SBI Foundation, Principal, Straive, Capgemini, Jio bp, Syngenta and AXA.The organisation is also expanding corporate participation in higher education. Its corporate partners, including Fujitsu, have adopted scholarships for 100 Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students.

₹50 lakh fundraising target for MBA education of 25 women

Another important component of FUEL's second NSE Social Stock Exchange initiative is a fundraising target of ₹50 lakh. The amount will be used to finance the complete two-year MBA education of 25 young women belonging to economically weaker and drought-affected regions of Maharashtra.

The initiative builds on the organisation's previous fundraising achievement. FUEL had earlier raised ₹98.29 lakh through its first social-impact project on the NSE Social Stock Exchange to support the undergraduate education of 40 young women.

According to the organisation, approximately 68% of the 25 beneficiaries come from farming families, while 73% are first-generation learners. Around 60% have migrated from drought-affected parts of Maharashtra to Pune.The programme aims to reduce financial barriers to higher education and improve access to professional qualifications for women from underserved communities.

FUEL expands industry partnerships at its skill development university

Alongside its fundraising activities, FUEL is developing an industry-supported academic model at FUEL SkillTech & Entrepreneurship University. Under this initiative, corporate organisations and philanthropic partners can adopt individual schools or Centres of Excellence and collaborate with the university to develop industry-relevant courses.

The university's School of Science has been adopted by Dr Yusuf Hamied, Chairman of Cipla. A School of Logistics is also planned in collaboration with the Allcargo Group.FUEL is inviting more companies, foundations and philanthropists to participate in this model. The proposed areas of collaboration include emerging technologies, green skills, banking, manufacturing, insurance and entrepreneurship.

What did FUEL Chairman Dr Ketan Deshpande say?

Commenting on the initiative, Dr Ketan Deshpande, Chairman and Vice Chancellor of FUEL SkillTech & Entrepreneurship University, said the organisation wants to ensure that a young person's opportunities are determined by talent rather than financial or social circumstances.He highlighted that the latest initiative combines employment-oriented training, financial assistance for women's postgraduate education and industry partnerships to strengthen skill-based learning.

According to Deshpande, the 2,000 skilling opportunities will help prepare young people for GCC employment, while the second SSE fundraising initiative will enable 25 women to complete their MBA programmes. He also emphasised the wider benefits of supporting education, including its potential impact on families and communities.

NSE ceremony scheduled for November 30

FUEL's latest fundraising initiative will be marked by a bell-ringing and listing ceremony at the National Stock Exchange in Mumbai on November 30, 2026.Individuals interested in supporting the education of the 25 women will also be able to participate through the Zerodha app, according to the organisation's announcement.

About FUEL SkillTech & Entrepreneurship University

FUEL SkillTech & Entrepreneurship University has been established under Maharashtra Act No. 23 of 2026 and is promoted by Friends Union for Energising Lives (FUEL).The university focuses on skill-based and entrepreneurship-oriented higher education. Building on FUEL's more than 18 years of work across over 18 states, the institution aims to improve employability, encourage entrepreneurship and prepare young people for emerging career opportunities.