Reap Benefit | Solveninja

Small solutions don’t need a lever large enough to move the world. They are fuelled by one iron resolve, one bright idea and a single burst of channelled energy.

We, at Reap Benefit, endeavour to create and nurture champions of small solutions in every community across the country. Each small solution will create measurable and meaningful impact, which will draw more champions towards the power of the small.

The values we strive to live by

Impact over individual

We anchor our conversations and actions around impact. When we are at crossroads, facing conflict - the impact we are serving precedes the need to pacify individuals.
The future belongs to the curious

We aspire to be more curious than critical because the problems we are trying to solve are complex and wicked. We believe childlike curiosity is the only way to bring disruptive changes around us.
Fail Fast, Learn Faster

At Reap Benefit, we know there exists no silver bullet answers to problems. However, we promise to try, fail fast, reflect, learn faster and be open about our failures and learnings.
Being Awe-thentic

We try to nurture a culture where people can find the courage to stay true to themselves and act in ways that genuinely show others how they feel.
Get (Sh)it Done

As a team, we aim to be a tribe of hustlers and makers, who don’t wait for permissions , pass the buck or make excuses, but simply get the job done.
Smells like Team Spirit

If we are trying to solve problems of the commons, then we believe that we can’t have an individualistic mindset. We seek to be a team that collectively feels responsible and consistently takes actions to solve these problems.
Create an Occasion for Free Food

Divided by teams, united by food. We ensure that we celebrate every small win with good food.

Our learnings and failures

Not saying no enough

We’ve made mistakes of creating islands of information that have led to ineffective decisions in the past. As we’ve grown as an organisation, we have realised the importance of tying disparate pieces of information and insight together to create models that scaffold decisions and actions we take.

Not backing ourselves

We have had times where few were doing the work of many, creating bottlenecks and a culture of dependency. We’ve learnt over time to build processes, from hiring to providing honest feedback, that has helped our people grow as individuals and as a team.

Not thinking in models

Dependence on people over process

From Sowing the Seeds to Reaping the Benefit

2012-13
Sowing the seeds
- Start solving small.
- The first point in 2012-13 - First school engagements with Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Bangalore (SKCH) and TVS Academy, Hosur.
- Win the Namma Bengaluru Award!
2013-14
Early Days
- Start of the Solve Bootcamp programme in 17 schools.
- Kuldeep becomes an Ashoka Fellow.
- Recognition by Forbes 30 under 30 and wins the Architect of the Future award.
2014-15
Sprouts of success
- Solve Bootcamps introduced across Bangalore, Hubli, Muttur and Chikamagalur.
- 1200+ problem solvers activated.
2015-16
Nurture
- Solve Bootcamp pilot in Chennai and Tumkur.
- Impact -14 million litres of water saved and 6 tonnes of waste diverted!
2016-17
Growth
- Solve Ninja is born and the development of Solve Ninja App begins.
- Steady expansion across 7 locations, 6000+ Solve Ninjas activated and 75 civic solutions prototypes built.
- Gautam is awarded MIT Bits and Atoms, by FAB Academy and Reap Benefit wins Stanford CDDRL and Asia Initiatives’ Urban Venture Labs.
2017-18
In Bloom
- Official launch of the Solve Ninja App and Special mention by President Obama.
- 8000+ Solve Ninjas activated, 200,000+ hours of public problem solving, 200 civic solution prototypes built.
- Winner of Swachhathon 1.0 by Ministry of Water and Sanitation in the Behaviour Change category.
2018-19
Flourish
- Creation of the Youth Board and Solve Ninja Council.
- The Solve Ninja website goes live and here you are!