Swayam

Swayam is a pioneer in peer-to-peer social investing. We offer ordinary people the opportunity to become angel investors in the education of talented students, in exchange for a share of their future income. Under the terms of the Swayam Fellowship offered to students, they return a pre-specified percentage of their income over a fixed number of years to Swayam, upon graduating and entering the job market. Swayam channels these funds back to the Angels who invested in these students’ education, as returns on their investment.

Update (Aug 08):
Greetings! The news from our end is that after running into legal issues and time commitment pressures, two of the founders (Somik Raha and Thomas Seyller) have decided to bow out, while the other two founders (Ashni Mohnot and Deepti Chatti) will continue the legal research on future income contracts where we left off, as a new team. They will also go by another name (to be decided) instead of Swayam.

Ashni and Deepti would love to continue the relationship with all the amazing people who have encouraged us and helped us in so many ways. Please feel free to connect with them (ashni.mohnot@gmail.com or deepti.chatti@gmail.com) if you are interested in their work.

On a personal note, we want to thank you for taking the time and trusting us this far. The legal issues notwithstanding, the US is more in need than ever before of a viable educational finance organization.

Update (April 2010): Swayam is no longer operational. However, one of the founders Ashni Mohnot founded another venture Enzi - http://enzifutures.org - on the same idea: letting people invest in students' education in exchange for a share in their future income for a set period of time. She would love to continue her relationship with people who have expressed interest in this idea on Younoodle - please find/follow Enzi on Younoodle, check out the website, and connect with her at ashni.mohnot@gmail.com.

• Somik Raha wrote (3 years ago):

  Greetings! I am writing to give you an update on Swayam. The news from our end is that after running into legal issues and time commitment pressures, two of the founders (myself and Thomas Seyller) have decided to bow out, while the other two founders (Ashni Mohnot and Deepti Chatti) will continue the legal research on future income contracts where we left off, as a new team. They will also go by another name (to be decided) instead of Swayam.
  
  Ashni and Deepti would love to continue the relationship with all the amazing people who have encouraged us and helped us in so many ways. Please feel free to connect with them (ashni.mohnot@gmail.com or deepti.chatti@gmail.com) if you are interested in their work.
  
  On a personal note, I want to thank you for taking the time and trusting us this far. The legal issues notwithstanding, the US is more in need than ever before of a viable educational finance organization.

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• Somik Raha wrote (3 years ago):

  We have just found funding for our first student. We are now looking for funds for the second student from India who has just been admitted to the Electrical Engineering department at Stanford. He won't be able to make it without this help - if you'd like to be a part of Swayam's beginning and help a student get an education, please drop a note to pilot@swayam.org.
  
  For details, see http://www.swayam.org/letter.html

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• Somik Raha wrote (3 years ago):

  Our website is up @ http://www.swayam.org
  Investors can see http://www.swayam.org/letter.html

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• Amit Garg wrote (4 years ago):

  Cheering for Swayam for Bases and Srijan!

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• Felix Mathew wrote (4 years ago):

  This is great stuff guys. good job

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