eGov Foundation

Established in 2003 by Nandan Nilekani and Srikanth Nadhamuni, eGov Foundation began as a philanthropic mission with a simple yet ambitious goal: to improve the ease of living for citizens through digital transformation. For over two decades, this Bangalore-based organisation has been quietly revolutionising how governments deliver services to their people, proving that technology can bridge the gap between bureaucracy and public need.

What started as work with local governments in Karnataka has grown into a global movement. Today, eGov Foundation's digital solutions serve over 2 billion citizens across 10 countries, delivering 2.2 billion public services through their Digital Public Goods. From water and sanitation systems in rural India to health campaigns in Mozambique, their impact spans continents and sectors.

At the heart of their work lies DIGIT—Digital Infrastructure for Governance, Inclusion and Transformation. This open-source platform provides reusable building blocks and shared data registries that can be customised to build solutions across multiple sectors. Unlike proprietary software that locks governments into expensive vendor relationships, DIGIT is free, interoperable, and designed to be owned by the communities it serves.

The organisation's expertise spans local governance, water and sanitation, social benefits, public health, agriculture, public finance management, education, and justice. They've partnered with India's Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to design the National Urban Digital Mission, with the government committing $700 million to support digital transformation across 4,700+ cities. Their health campaign management solution has reached over 14 million beneficiaries across six countries since 2023.

eGov Foundation's approach goes beyond technology. They understand that sustainable change requires building local capacity, fostering enabling policies, and creating ecosystems where communities can solve their own problems. Their robust focus includes providing strategic, advisory and capacity support to governments whilst catalysing market ecosystems to deploy Digital Public Infrastructure effectively.

With support from partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Tata Trusts, and The Global Fund, eGov Foundation continues expanding their mission. Their work demonstrates that when open-source technology meets local knowledge and government commitment, the result is transformation that truly serves citizens—no matter where they live or what language they speak.