KANPUR, Uttar Pradesh, March 26, 2026 — Walmart Vriddhi, in partnership with Ideas to Impact Foundation (i2i), hosted Walmart Vriddhi MSME Connect 2026 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in collaboration with the Department of MSME & Export Promotion, Government of Uttar Pradesh. The event convened entrepreneurs, government representatives and industry stakeholders to strengthen the MSME ecosystem in the state and spotlight opportunities available through the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program.
Walmart Vriddhi continues to support MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh by providing free training, market access and tools to help build resilient, digitally enabled businesses. The program also delivers specialized training through workshops and seminars designed to strengthen core business capabilities.
Walmart Vriddhi continues to empower MSMEs in export-ready industry clusters across sectors such as leather products, footwear, textiles, hosiery and handicrafts—areas strongly represented in Uttar Pradesh. The program is also expanding its reach to MSME clusters in Agra, Mau, Moradabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad and Varanasi.
Launched in 2019, Walmart Vriddhi is designed to help MSMEs across India modernize, scale and pursue domestic and international growth. Earlier this year, Walmart Vriddhi, through its program partner, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to strengthen MSME capabilities and support onboarding onto Flipkart and Walmart Marketplace. The collaboration aligns with the “Make in India” initiative and aims to help local businesses expand their presence in national and global markets.
“In Uttar Pradesh, we have nearly 96 lakh MSMEs, of which around 50 lakh are actively engaged and demonstrating strong performance. With initiatives like Walmart Vriddhi, MSMEs are getting the right support to connect, learn and grow: whether it is selling through eCommerce channels like Flipkart, or exploring export opportunities through Walmart, the scope is significant. With the right guidance and support, our MSMEs can scale further and compete globally,” Shri Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Advisor to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Uttar Pradesh said at the event.
“Building strong MSMEs requires collaboration across the ecosystem. Creating pathways for MSMEs to grow and compete is essential for long-term business success. Walmart Vriddhi brings together free-of-cost training, personalized mentorship, and marketplace access to enable entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and reach new national and international markets,” said Jason Fremstad, Senior Vice President, Sourcing & Procurement, Walmart.
Entrepreneurs across the state are translating Walmart Vriddhi training into business growth. According to Renuka Mishra, owner of RenHomz, she strengthened her company’s product packaging, pricing and readiness through personalized mentorship—supporting 150+ women artisans and achieving 200% revenue growth. Likewise, according to Sanjay Kumar, owner of Prateek Enterprises, he advanced the company’s bird-net and safety-innovation business with guidance on pricing, market strategy and client engagement. Also according to Sanjay, by applying program learnings, his monthly sales grew from approximately ₹50,000 to over ₹10 lakh, while online revenue increased by more than 20% and sales through Flipkart rose by 30% within a year.
To meet entrepreneurs where they are—and where they aspire to be—Walmart Vriddhi continues to build a high-impact model that combines on-ground support with access to digital skilling tools, marketplace onboarding and personalized mentorship. By using digital tools to train MSMEs on critical aspects of business management—including finance, marketing, workforce management and environmental sustainability—the program helps entrepreneurs build scalable and sustainable business models.
MSMEs can register for the Walmart Vriddhi program at: https://retaillink.login.wal-mart.com/ Sellers looking to expand through Walmart Marketplace can register at: https://www.walmartvriddhi.org/register-with-walmart-marketplace
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (Nasdaq: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 280 million customers and members visit more than 10,900 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2026 revenue of $713 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X at x.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/Walmart
About Ideas to Impact Foundation
Ideas to Impact (i2i) Foundation, implementation partner of Walmart Vriddhi, is a nonprofit committed to driving sustainable human development through innovative, community-focused solutions. i2i partners with governments, civil society, and corporates to create scalable programs that empower marginalized communities and support the Sustainable Development Goals. The Foundation’s work spans education, health, environment, and gender inclusion, focusing on building resilient, inclusive societies. Rooted in collaboration and transparency, i2i Foundation strives to create a lasting positive impact for a better future. Additional information about Ideas to Impact Foundation can be found by visiting:
i2ifoundation.org/about-i2i-foundation
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