Philanthropic investment co Omidyar sharpens focus on vernacular platforms

Idea is to help reimagining experience of new half a billion internet users, says India MD Roopa Kudva

Philanthropic investment firm Omidyar Network is betting big on local language platforms sensing huge opportunities in this space as the country is expected to add the next 500 million internet users mostly from rural areas owing to increase in smartphone penetration.

Of the $250 million it has invested in India so far, the firm has already funded an array of multilingual portals such as Healofy, DailyHunt, Doubtnut, Pratilipi and Indus Os. 

“The kind of mental models you had when you built businesses like Flipkart or Swiggy needs to be changed for the next half a million people who will be