Fix something real.
We’ll fund it.
Up to 10 student teams from Class 8 & 9 get ₹10,000 each to try an idea in the real world for 6 weeks: a problem in Gaya, or a small business people will pay for.
We will pick up to 5 teams in each track, so up to 10 teams in total.
We may pick fewer, or even none in a track, if we can't see a real problem or real effort. We would rather fund 3 teams who try hard than 10 who don't.
Effort counts more than a fancy idea or perfect English. Don't rush it.
Pick the river you want to sail.
Both tracks start the same way: with a real problem you’ve seen with your own eyes.
Social impact in Gaya
Make life better for people around you.
- Drains, shade, safety, health, learning: problems in your mohalla
- Success = people’s lives get measurably better
Entrepreneurship
Build something people will pay for.
- A product or service your school, colony or market needs
- Success = real customers paying real rupees
The money helps you do things. You don't have to spend it all.
Every selected team gets the full ₹10,000 when results are announced. Use it for whatever helps your plan: travel, materials, things to test. Many good tests cost nothing: talking to people, trying something at school, borrowing what you need.
Money left after 6 weeks? It's yours to keep. Need more? Ask parents, relatives or a local shop to chip in.
What matters is going out into the real world, trying things and learning, not how much you spend.
Four stops between you and ₹10,000.
Learn the journey
Eight short stops teach you how founders think. No forms, no pressure.
Go and talk to people
Find a real problem. Talk to at least 3 people who have it. Take photos.
Apply as a team
Build a mixed team of 3–5, find a mentor, make a video of up to 1 min 30 sec.
Get funded & try it
Get ₹10,000 and 6 weeks to try it, with a short update every Sunday. The best team gets an extra prize.
About 2 to 3 hours a week, mostly at the weekend.
Meet at a friend's place, visit people, make a few calls, buy and test things. It fits around school and won't get in the way of your studies. It builds your profile. How much more you put in is up to you.
From your first idea to the prize.
Apply by 24 November. If your team is selected, you get ₹10,000, 6 weeks, a mentor and a team dashboard where you post a short update every Sunday.
- 124 Nov
Applications close
Submit by 11:59 pm. After that the form closes on its own.
- 230 Nov
Results, and ₹10,000 paid
Selected teams are announced on WhatsApp and in the school assembly, and each gets the full ₹10,000.
- 31 Dec to 10 Jan
Six weeks, an update every Sunday
Try your plan. Post a short update on your team dashboard every Sunday: 6, 13, 20, 27 Dec, 3 and 10 Jan.
- 417 Jan
Final report
What you tried, what happened, roughly what you spent, and whether you want to keep going.
- 5After evaluation
Extra prize for the best team
After the 6 weeks, the best team gets an extra prize to keep their work going.
The prize.
After the 6 weeks, the best team gets an extra prize to keep their work going.
Support for every selected team
Stuck, or have a question? Email rjainmm@gmail.com. We'll reply.
Simple, and the same for everyone.
- ✓ Cohort 1 is only for students of Class 8 & 9 at Creane Memorial School.
- ✓ Teams of 3 to 5 students. Mixing sections and classes is encouraged.
- ✓ Submit by 24 November 2026, 11:59 pm. After that the form closes automatically.
- ✓ One mentor: any adult you trust who is not your parent.
- ✓ About 2 to 3 hours a week.
- ✓ Write in English, Hindi or Hinglish. We care about thinking, not grammar.
- ✕ One student, one team. If your roll number shows up in two teams, we check with both before results.
- ✕ Submit once. After you submit, the application is locked. No edits, no take-backs.
- 1 A small, specific problem you’ve seen with your own eyes.
- 2 Proof: photos and words from real people who have it.
- 3 A 6-week plan that starts small, with a number that tells you it worked.
- 4 A mixed team, plus a mentor who said yes.
No experience? Perfect. This is how you get some. Your first real project goes on your profile.
Things people ask.
How much time does it take?
About 2 to 3 hours a week, mostly at the weekend.
Meet at a friend's place, visit people, make a few calls, buy and test things. It fits around school and won't get in the way of your studies. It builds your profile. How much more you put in is up to you.
Will this affect my studies?
No. It's about 2 to 3 hours a week, mostly at the weekend, and it fits around school.
Who can apply?
Cohort 1 is only for students of Class 8 & 9 at Creane Memorial School, Gaya. Every team member gives their class, section and roll number.
What is the last date?
24 November 2026, 11:59 pm. After that you can’t start, edit or submit an application, so don’t leave it to the last day.
How many teams will you pick?
We will pick up to 5 teams in each track, so up to 10 teams in total.
We may pick fewer, or even none in a track, if we can't see a real problem or real effort. We would rather fund 3 teams who try hard than 10 who don't.
Effort counts more than a fancy idea or perfect English. Don't rush it.
Do we need a business idea first?
No. Start with a problem. Ideas that start from a real problem are much stronger. The Learn journey shows you how to find one.
Can our team have students from different sections or classes?
Yes, please! We encourage mixed teams from Class 8 & 9. Different people notice different problems.
Can I be in two teams?
No. Each student (class + section + roll number) can be in only one team. If the same student shows up in two teams, we check with both teams before results. Listing someone without asking them can get a team disqualified.
Who can be our mentor?
Every team needs one mentor: an adult you trust who is not your parent. An uncle or aunt, an elder brother or cousin, a family friend, a neighbour, a shopkeeper.
It's not a big job for them. Share your idea, ask for advice, and call them when you're stuck.
What if I don’t have an email?
Use a parent’s email. You don’t need email to log in: you get a team code and choose a 6-digit PIN.
Can we edit after submitting?
No. Take your time: you can save, come back, and fill sections in any order. Submit only when everything is ready.
When are results announced?
30 November 2026, on WhatsApp and in the school assembly.
What happens if we are selected?
You get the full ₹10,000 on 30 November and 6 weeks to try your plan. Your mentor is there when you're stuck, and you join a WhatsApp group with the TinkerFund team. You post a short update every Sunday and one final report by 17 January.
Do we have to spend all ₹10,000?
The money helps you do things. You don't have to spend it all.
Every selected team gets the full ₹10,000 when results are announced. Use it for whatever helps your plan: travel, materials, things to test. Many good tests cost nothing: talking to people, trying something at school, borrowing what you need.
Money left after 6 weeks? It's yours to keep. Need more? Ask parents, relatives or a local shop to chip in.
What matters is going out into the real world, trying things and learning, not how much you spend.
What can we win?
After the 6 weeks, the best team gets an extra prize to keep their work going.
Who do we contact with questions?
Stuck, or have a question? Email rjainmm@gmail.com. We'll reply.
Your boat is waiting.
Start with the journey. It takes about 30 minutes and you’ll know exactly what to do next.