EdZola

This quarter gave us many reasons to celebrate, reflect and look ahead.

Between July and September, EdZola completed six years, put more of our AI and data protection work into practice, created new spaces for conversations across the social-impact sector and spent valuable time with partners beyond regular project meetings.

Here is what shaped our quarter.

Six Years of EdZola

Making the world better with technology, and we’re just getting started.

Zolaversaries · Annual Awards · Thanima Farms

When we look back at our journey, we think about what changed because of the systems we built.

A child’s information stayed visible instead of getting lost in a spreadsheet. A teacher received a clearer report. A program manager noticed a gap before it became a larger problem. A nonprofit team spent less time chasing data and more time serving people.

These moments reflect the work we have done alongside more than 100 organisations across the world. Every partnership has shaped our journey, helping us build data systems, CRM platforms and AI solutions grounded in the realities of social-impact work.

Much of this infrastructure remains invisible, but its impact can be seen in the time it gives back to teams, the clarity it brings to decisions and the people organisations are able to serve better.

Along the way, we have learned as much as we have built. Every organisation, challenge and conversation has helped us improve our approach, strengthen our solutions and keep evolving.

We celebrated this milestone through Zolaversaries, the EdZola Annual Awards, messages from partners, the EdZola Virundhu and time together at Thanima Farms. It was a chance to pause, celebrate our people and appreciate everyone who has been part of this journey.

Celebrating 6 Years of EdZola and the Journey Ahead: team awards and group photographs

Thank you to our team, partners and everyone who has placed their trust in us. You have helped shape what EdZola is today, and we’re excited for what we’ll build together next.

Where We Are Finding Real Value in AI

This quarter, our AI work focused on two practical opportunities: helping organisations strengthen their data-protection readiness and exploring how Voice AI can support last-mile program needs.

DPDP Comply · ZolaShield

Making Data Protection Readiness Easier

From a 15-minute conversation to a practical compliance roadmap

After completing a successful pilot with five organisations, we launched the ZolaShield DPDP Comply Cohort with Waste Warriors Society and Unnati Foundation.

The four-month program helps each organisation understand how personal data is collected, processed, stored, shared, retained and deleted, then turn those findings into a practical compliance roadmap.

The journey begins with a 15-minute Voice AI-powered assessment. Instead of lengthy questionnaires or compliance checklists, ZolaShield conducts an adaptive conversation and maps how data moves across the organisation.

This helps teams identify priority risks, clarify internal ownership and understand what actions should come next.

Hear about the ZolaShield assessment experience from:

Video: Sudhakar Prabhakar, Monitoring and Evaluation Head at U&I Trust, on DPDP compliance with ZolaShield

Video: Mita Radhakrishnan, Co-Director of Auroville Language Lab, on DPDP compliance with ZolaShield

Explore your organisation’s DPDP readiness

AI Clinic: Voice AI for Social Impact Organisations

Voice AI · AI Clinic

Listening at Scale with Zolabs

Moving from an initial idea to a practical use case

We completed the first AI Clinic for Social Impact Organisations, testing Voice AI use cases with more than six organisations. The conversations explored how AI calling could support beneficiary feedback, follow-up surveys and program data collection.

Each participating organisation received a walkthrough of Zolabs.ai focused on its specific requirements. The clinic helped teams identify where Voice AI could create practical value in their work.

We plan to bring the AI Clinic to more social-impact organisations. If you have a use case to explore, we would love to hear from you.

Blog

Let’s Listen to Everyone

What happens when someone has something important to share but cannot complete a web form?

Our latest blog explores how Voice AI can help organisations hear from people facing literacy barriers, unfamiliar digital interfaces or limited connectivity. It also looks at how those conversations can become structured, verifiable program data.

Becoming data-driven begins with becoming better at listening.

Read “Let’s Listen to Everyone”

Building Communities Across the Sector

Technology enables change. People make it happen.

Working with social-impact organisations has taught us that lasting transformation is shaped not only by technology, but also by the people, relationships and shared learning around it.

We created and joined spaces that brought the sector together in different ways, from launching Impact Dialogues by EdZola and hosting Chai with EdZola to participating in Kalvi Kural, Charcha, and conversations with organisations across four cities.

Impact Dialogues by EdZola

Documenting the Real Journey Behind Digital Transformation

We launched Impact Dialogues by EdZola to bring the real experiences behind digital transformation into the open.

In the first edition, Sajidali Pathan, Chief of Digital Initiatives at TRRAIN, joined our founder, Akshay V, to discuss leadership, internal ownership, change management and the importance of building strong digital foundations before adopting AI.

From Data to Decisions: How Technology and AI Are Transforming Social Impact Organisations

Watch the complete conversation

Stay tuned for more experiences and insights from upcoming editions of Impact Dialogues.

Chai with EdZola in Pune: an informal gathering of people from across the social-impact sector

Chai with EdZola · Pune

A Spontaneous Plan and a Conversation Worth Continuing

Chai with EdZola brought together people from across the social-impact sector for an informal conversation in Pune.

The discussion covered responsible AI, program efficiency, data-backed decisions and preparation for the DPDP Act. The gathering reminded us of the value of smaller spaces where people can speak openly about what they are exploring, where they are uncertain and what support they need.

Want Chai with EdZola in your city?

Kalvi Kural 2026

Can AI Truly Understand the Reality of Indian Classrooms?

At Kalvi Kural 2026, organised by the Madhi Foundation, Akshay joined voices from civil society, government, Tech4Good and government-school teachers to explore the role of AI in Indian classrooms.

The conversation highlighted the need to build technology around what teachers and students genuinely need, not what we assume they need.

As AI advances, children must be prepared not only to use it, but also to understand, question and eventually build it. This means strengthening foundational learning, improving the rigour of STEM education and preserving the human joy of teaching and learning.

Charcha 2026

Learning Across Samaaj, Sarkaar and Bazaar

At Charcha 2026, Akshay and Shubham joined leaders and practitioners from civil society, government and business to discuss some of India’s most complex development challenges.

The gathering offered an opportunity to understand how different parts of the ecosystem approach technology, collaboration and scale, and how stronger partnerships can help proven solutions reach more communities.

A personal highlight was reconnecting with Alina Alam and the Mitti Café team. When Akshay first showed Alina a solution EdZola had built for the café in 2020, she exclaimed, “Akshay, ye kya jadoo kar diya tumne!”

Six years later, Akshay and Shubham met the team again, including persons with disabilities building livelihoods through the café. It was a reminder of the people behind the work and the relationships that continue beyond a project.

EdZola meeting partner organisations across Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Pune

Listening Across Cities

Learning Directly from Organisations and Sector Leaders

Across Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Pune, we connected with People4Good, ILSS, Tapasya, Mudita, TRRAIN, and members of the Chevening and wider development-sector communities. We also participated in the ILSS Chennai Foundation Day.

These conversations reinforced the need for technology that is practical and easy to adopt, continued listening as organisations evolve, and partnerships that create space to think together about sustainability, data, livelihoods, jobs and the future of AI.

Thank you to everyone who welcomed us and shared their experiences openly. We look forward to continuing these conversations and connecting with more organisations in the months ahead.

Together, these experiences showed us that communities are built in many ways, through public dialogue, informal gatherings, sector platforms and focused conversations. Each space helped us listen more closely, learn from others and strengthen the relationships that make lasting change possible.

People

This quarter, we recognised three EdZolans completing important milestones.

Third ZolaversaryRajeevFinance and Solution Delivery Lead

Before joining EdZola, Rajeev worked in KPO operations, consulting and entrepreneurship, building experience in team leadership and business operations. He joined EdZola as an Operations Manager in 2023 and is now our Finance and Solution Delivery Lead. Over the past three years, he has also taken on responsibilities across data systems, HR, compliance and people processes. We’re grateful to have you on the team, Rajeev.

Second ZolaversaryAristoSenior Software Engineer

Aristo’s journey from a Zomato delivery partner to a Senior Software Engineer at EdZola reflects his determination and commitment to learning. Over the past two years, he has contributed to several impactful projects and earned the Best Internship Performer, Master Builder of the Year and Best Innovative Mind of the Year awards. We’re proud to have you on the team.

First ZolaversaryMonishaSoftware Engineer

Monisha’s journey from aspiring to a career in public service to becoming a software engineer reflects her curiosity and courage to explore a new path. Over the past year, she has contributed to projects for Mudita and The Circle India, and her growth was recognised with the Best Find of the Year award. We are proud to have you on the team!

Across these three months, we celebrated how far we have come while continuing to explore what EdZola should build next.

We saw data protection move from awareness into structured action, organisations begin exploring Voice AI through real use cases and partnerships deepen through more open conversations.

This quarter also reminded us that technology creates lasting value only when it reflects an organisation’s context, is owned by its people and continues to evolve after the initial implementation.

Many of you reading this have been part of our journey as partners, collaborators, friends, mentors or team members. Thank you for continuing to build, question and learn with us.

We look forward to sharing the next quarter with you.

Let us continue the conversation

Is your organisation exploring a practical AI use case, preparing for DPDP compliance or simply trying to decide where to begin? Write to us. We will be glad to understand where you are and think through what might be useful.

Talk to us

Warmly,
Akshay and the EdZola team