The/Nudge Foundation Opens the*spark | Pullur Centre, Shared Startup Space for Social Entrepreneurs

BENGALURU, India, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The/Nudge Foundation inaugurated the*spark | Pullur Centre on February 14th, 2026. Supported by the founding patrons Vijay Pullur and Nirmala Pullur, wife of the late Jay Pullur (Founder brothers of Pramati Software), the*spark | Pullur Centre is a first-of-its-kind 20,000 sq ft purpose-built co-working and community space for social entrepreneurs. Bengaluru’s renowned builder Total Environment partnered with The/Nudge Foundation to build this state-of-the-art centre housed on the fifth floor of “Pursuit of a Radical Rhapsody” building in Whitefield, Bengaluru.

The centre has a 140-seat co-working space (Venture Commons) and a configurable event space (Dialogues Arena) that can host up to 150 people. The Centre is designed to bring the community of social entrepreneurs, funders, and ecosystem leaders closer in an ongoing engagement. 

The launch was marked by the coming together of over 150 social entrepreneurs, funders, corporate CSR leaders, philanthropists, start-up leaders, and ecosystem enablers from across India’s social impact sectors.

Along with The/Nudge executives, founding patrons Vijay Pullur, Nirmala Pullur, Kamal Sagar (Founder Total Environment), industry leaders like Prashanth Prakash (Founding Partner, Accel India) and Maneesh Dhir (ex-MD, Apple and Board Member, The/Nudge Foundation) were present at the launch event. the*spark | Pullur Centre is envisioned as the first node in a larger, nationwide network of impact hubs. The space provides shared workspaces for social ventures where one-off meetings and conversations can spark long-term, fruitful engagements.

Vijay Pullur, CEO of WaveMaker Inc., said: “As a founder, I’ve learned that ideas do not scale because they were conceived well, but because they are refined through sustained dialogue and shared learning. the*spark | Pullur centre is meant to give social entrepreneurs that continuity of engagement, where conversations persist, relationships compound, and solutions evolve with the complexity of the problems they address.”

True to its purpose, the campus reflects a strong emphasis on green and sustainable design, with a biophilic layout, landscaped balconies, natural light, and flexible, community-driven workspaces that encourage longer presence and repeated interaction.

Designed and built in partnership with Total Environment, the centre reflects a deliberate focus on creating environments that enable collaboration, reflection, and long-term engagement.

Commenting on the design philosophy, Kamal Sagar, Founder of Total Environment, said, “Good design is about creating spaces that work better for people – spaces that build trust, connection, and a sense of calm. As the design partner of the*spark | Pullur Centre, that intent takes shape as a place people don’t merely visit, but inhabit with purpose.”

Saurabh Nigam, Founder & CEO, ProGrowth People Solutions, said such spaces can alter how founders work and grow. “Having spent nearly two decades working in human resources, especially in the impact sector, I’ve seen how many strong ideas struggle to take off not because innovation is lacking, but because the basic infrastructure around them— talent, organisational design, and access to specialised support— is still evolving. Being part of a shared space like the*spark | Pullur Centre creates a much richer exchange: practitioners stay close to founders’ realities, founders get earlier access to expertise, and both sides learn in the process.”

India has seen significant growth in social entrepreneurship and philanthropic capital. But collaboration across stakeholders often remains fragmented and episodic. the*spark | The Pullur Centre responds to this structural gap in the sector by offering a shared, neutral space where ideas, capital, and talent can intersect regularly to translate promising innovations into scalable, systemic solutions. 

About The/Nudge Foundation

The/Nudge Foundation supports the work of The/Nudge Institute and the*spark in India. The/Nudge Institute is an action institute focused on building resilient livelihoods to alleviate poverty, working with social entrepreneurs, women, farmers, tribal communities, and youth across rural development, agriculture, skilling, and economic inclusion, in partnership with government and ecosystem stakeholders. the*spark is India’s leading platform for dialogue and collaboration on livelihoods. The *spark forum curates cross-sector convenings that inspire ideas, partnerships, and action toward a poverty-free India, while the the*spark | Pullur Centre in Bengaluru is a purpose-built space for convenings, collaboration, and shared infrastructure.

“This is a company press release that is not part of editorial content. No journalist of The Hindu was involved in the publication of this release.”

Published – February 16, 2026 12:54 pm IST