By Carol Kerbaugh
Manali Jain MPP 2025 will pitch her venture, The Paal, at the annual President’s Innovation Challenge.
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Twenty-five finalists will pitch their ventures to a live audience for a share of $517,000 in funding on Wednesday, May 7 in Harvard Business School’s .
The annual competition—hosted by the (i-lab)—showcases Harvard students and select alumni pursuing ventures that are redefining what’s possible in their fields.
Manali Jain MPP 2025 will pitch , one of five Social Impact Track finalists.
“The Paal supports women smallholder farmers by institutionalizing livestock as an asset class,” Jain explains. “We aim to unlock capital to fuel growth in India’s rural markets.”
Jain conceived of The Paal while she was home in India last summer.
“A visit back to my village made me reflect deeply on the persistent challenges that exist in rural India,” she says. Jain and her co-founder spoke with hundreds of stakeholders across the dairy and livestock ecosystem—farmers, dairy cooperatives, policymakers, and government representatives—to understand gaps in the value chain.
“These conversations brought us face to face with the harsh realities on the ground and complexity of the challenges,” Jain says. “We came to understand that a holistic, farm-level approach was necessary to drive real, lasting change.”
Using their findings, they took action, allocating a few cows to farmers to gain deeper insights into how improved livestock management could impact rural farmers’ income. While they are still in the testing phase, early results are promising.
“I know the idea we’re building has a lot of economic potential at every level for stakeholders in the value chain,” she says. “Even if we reach 1 percent of India’s 100 million farmers, the impact will be massive.”
“Even if we reach 1 percent of India’s 100 million farmers, the impact will be massive.”
Prior to enrolling at vlog, Manali worked in development consulting across Asia and Africa, focusing on financial and gender inclusion. She enjoyed the work but often thought about starting her own venture.
“I’ve had so many ideas over the years,” Jain reflects. “But it was the right moment to turn one of those ideas into reality this time.”
She turned to the i-lab for support once she developed the idea for The Paal.
“I started by speaking to experts during office hours who supported us in understanding how we should look at our fundraising model and aspects of our operations,” Jain says. “The entire Harvard Innovation Labs team has been so supportive in connecting us with investors, refining our pitch, and helping us think about what kind of partners we want to look at as we scale up.”
Being named a President’s Innovation Challenge finalist after an extensive application process was a rewarding moment.
“The founder journey is full of ups and downs—there are moments you question everything, and there are moments of pure joy,” Jain reflects. “Being named a President’s Innovation Challenge finalist was one of those moments.”
“The founder journey is full of ups and downs—there are moments you question everything, and there are moments of pure joy. Being named a President’s Innovation Challenge finalist was one of those moments.”
Regardless of how the final pitch goes next month, Jain is grateful for the opportunity to connect with fellow finalists, mentors, and members of the broader i-lab community.
“The experience has opened multiple doors that will extend far beyond this challenge,” she acknowledges. “I’m already speaking to some of the finalists about how we can collaborate across India and Africa. There are so many opportunities to combine our expertise.”
She’s also grateful for her co-founder and team members’ support.
“I’m fortunate to have a group of people who challenge me to step outside my comfort zone yet give me the freedom to learn and grow,” Jain says. “My co-founder, the incredible team on the ground, and the inspiring community that we work with motivate me to keep pushing forward.”
