Amazon India has committed nearly $7 million worldwide through various grant programs for aspiring entrepreneurs from under represented communities, who are passionate about building great teams and working in the logistics sector. As part of the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program, Amazon India is encouraging participation of women, persons with disability, and people from the LGBTQIA+ community to start their logistics business. Amazon provides support infrastructure, technology, and access to a suite of services, enabling small businesses to thrive and deliver for customers.
Through the grants, aspiring entrepreneurs will be financially supported to cover some startup costs of setting up the business. Those with no prior logistics experience can also apply for the grant and participate in the program. The shortlisted entrepreneurs will be further assisted with access to Amazon's sophisticated delivery technology and hands-on training.
"Since its inception in India, the DSP program has not only aided Amazon in providing growth opportunities to SMBs, but it has also enabled us to expand our delivery network into the country's hinterlands. We are pleased to offer a special grant to women and other underrepresented communities joining the program to evolve the entrepreneurship ecosystem in logistics. Amazon’s mission is to be earth’s most customer-centric company, and this mission is central to our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Amazon customers benefit from diversity of thought. We believe it is good for our business, but our commitment is based on something more fundamental than that – it’s simply right,” says Dr. Karuna Shankar Pande, Director, Last Mile Operations, India.
At Amazon, building strong teams who understand their communities is the most difficult challenge in growing a delivery network, and small business owners are the best at it. They attract and develop excellent associates, while the DSP program provides logistics expertise, technology, and other resources to help their businesses succeed.
Rachna Kher, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner from Pune, says, “The journey from the corporate sector to a successful entrepreneur as Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner has been an enriching experience. Embarking on this journey with my business partner Priya Junagade in 2018 wasn’t easy, but we decided to dream big and chase our dreams. As part of the program, Amazon has provided us with all the required knowledge, training, and skills to build a strong business foundation."
Delhi-based Karina Bhasin says that she started her journey as an Amazon Delivery Service Partner in 2017 along with her partner Rashi Yadav, to empower women and help them become financially independent. She says, "Being female entrepreneurs, it was initially challenging when we started our logistics business, but Amazon has supported us at every step with knowledge, training, and abilities that we needed to establish a solid business foundation. Today, we have more than 20 women delivery associates across our 4 delivery stations.”
The Delivery Service Partner program offers an excellent opportunity for those who are looking to run a full-time business, have experience coaching teams, and are comfortable in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
“After spending more than 25 years in the corporate sector, I decided to be my own boss and start my own business. I was driven to follow my passion for entrepreneurship and make a positive impact in people’s lives. I wanted to create a sustainable business that is not only fast-paced and dynamic, but also allows me to create opportunities for others. With Amazon's DSP Program, I felt that I could achieve all of this and more. Today, it gives me a sense of pride that I have been able to build a business with the help of Amazon and I have enabled more than 70 delivery associates with a meaningful work opportunity,” says Radha, Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner from Chennai.
In 2021, Amazon expanded the Delivery Service Partner program in India to support aspiring entrepreneurs to develop and launch their delivery services, even for people with no prior delivery expertise. Amazon India now has over 350 entrepreneurs who are part of the program, with more opportunities for diverse partners to build their own businesses.
Over the years, the DSP Program is a network of more than 1,000 delivery stations around the world, and has expanded to more than 14 countries, including United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Brazil, The Netherlands, India, Belgium, and Austria. We most recently launched the program in Saudi Arabia, which is the first Middle Eastern country where the DSP program operates.
To learn more about Amazon India’s DSP program, go here.
