Walmart Vriddhi, in partnership with Ideas to Impact Foundation (i2i), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau (Guidance), under the Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department. The partnership will strengthen the state’s MSME ecosystem through capacity building, digital transformation and access to both, domestic and international markets.

Formalized during the Vettri Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave in Chennai, the MoU marks another step toward Walmart Vriddhi’s goal of empowering 170,000 MSMEs across India by 2028.

Through the partnership, Tamil Nadu-based MSMEs will have access to Walmart Vriddhi’s free-of-cost training, personalized mentorship, market access opportunities and business tools to help them build resilient, digitally enabled businesses. The collaboration will also build MSME capabilities and create pathways to national and international supply chains through Flipkart and Walmart Marketplace.

Guidance will facilitate outreach and mobilization of MSMEs across the state through its existing schemes, District Industries Centres and other government bodies. It will also support awareness of Walmart Vriddhi programs, initiatives and opportunities through its social media and cross-platform communications channels.

The partnership brings together Guidance’s extensive industry outreach and facilitation capabilities with Walmart Vriddhi’s supplier development expertise. Training sessions, workshops and seminars will focus on strengthening business readiness, accelerating digital transformation and enabling greater participation by Tamil Nadu entrepreneurs in domestic and international markets.

“Tamil Nadu has a strong base of entrepreneurs and manufacturers with the potential to reach customers well beyond India. Through Walmart Marketplace, we want to help MSMEs strengthen their export capabilities, navigate cross-border trade and connect with customers in international markets. By creating clearer pathways to eCommerce beyond borders, we can enable more local businesses to turn their export ambitions into opportunities for sustainable growth,” said Ashin Mathew, India Head, Cross-Border Trade, Walmart Marketplace.

“At Walmart, we believe empowering MSMEs is essential to driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Through Walmart Vriddhi, in collaboration with Guidance, we aim to help entrepreneurs across Tamil Nadu with the skills, digital capabilities, mentorship and market access they need to build resilient, future-ready businesses and contribute to the state’s thriving manufacturing ecosystem,” said Avaneesh Gupta, Senior Vice President, General Merchandising & Fashion Sourcing, Walmart.

The impact of Walmart Vriddhi is reflected in the growth journeys of entrepreneurs across Tamil Nadu. Anshad A, founder of childrenswear brand HUXX, joined Walmart Vriddhi to strengthen his business capabilities and prepare for growth through eCommerce. Through the program, Anshad strengthened his business operations and market readiness, helping him reposition HUXX as a digital-first brand and expand its presence on Flipkart. According to Anshad, the business has more than doubled from INR 70 lakh to INR 1.5 crore since joining the program, with Flipkart contributing INR 1.12 crore, or approximately 75% of annual revenue.