Over 60 per cent experience local services gaps in access to quality local healthcare & are willing to pay more, if delivered locally
EPIC World, a comprehensive global platform has announced the launch of a report titled, ‘Reimagining Local Economies: Unlocking the Potential of Entrepreneurial Households.’ This study sheds light on the rising demand for quality core services among 247 million Entrepreneurial Households in India. The report is based on a survey of 7,700 Entrepreneurial Households across 173 districts in 12 states. Managed by 1Lattice, with oversight by Prashant Kolleri (formerly of NielsenIQ), it was conducted in collaboration with four channel partner companies, SarvaGram, CureBay, LEAD School and Samunnati. The survey was sponsored in part by Temasek, contributing to its successful execution.
Healthcare access emerges as a critical area of unmet need, with over 60 per cent of EHs reporting significant service gaps in their vicinity. Yet, 78 per cent are willing to pay more for higher-quality healthcare if offered locally, rising to 86 per cent when long travel times are involved. This unmet demand, coupled with increasing digital penetration and economic resilience, opens up a clear market opportunity for healthcare players who can deliver quality care through phygital models that blend trust-building local presence with tech-enabled scale. For businesses aiming to serve this segment, responsive, community-rooted healthcare delivery models will be key to unlocking both impact and growth.
This report reframes India’s economic future around the unmet needs of Entrepreneurial Households. With 78 per cent willing to pay more for improved healthcare, EHs represent a clear and viable market for specialist businesses that are rooted in their context. In fact, this percentage rises when they have to travel >1hr to access the services – 86 per cent for healthcare. The demand exists and it’s matched by commercial viability. Companies already serving EHs have demonstrated strong returns, as seen in the EHI Index, which reports a 22 per cent 5-year revenue CAGR and 16 per cent 5-year aggregate ROE, for the period ended March 31, 2024. These households are active participants in India’s growth story, ready to invest in quality products and services built for them. The next generation of businesses must be purpose-built for EHs leveraging phygital distribution, asset-light models and household-level analytics to unlock not only growth but durable value in one of India’s most aspirational and underserved segments.
Jyotsna Krishnan, Co-Founder & CEO, EPIC World & Managing Partner, Elevar Equity said, “Entrepreneurial Households represent over 70 per cent of India’s population, yet they continue to be underserved by mainstream businesses. This report is our effort to bring greater visibility to their evolving aspirations and commercial readiness. Our two decades of experience indicates that companies which are deeply local, tech enabled with a phygital presence and built on trust, will be well placed to serve this customer segment. At EPIC World, we’re developing critical capabilities to accelerate the building of blue chip companies focused on Entrepreneurial Households. The market is ready for both founders and investors to double down, with a long term view.”
Ashish Dhir, Senior Director, Consumer & Retail, 1Lattice said, “This study is among the most detailed and granular investigations of India’s Entrepreneurial Households to date. By covering 7,700 households across 173 districts and 12 states, we’ve captured how financial behavior, digital adoption, and investment priorities are evolving at the household level. The findings offer compelling evidence of commercial readiness, especially the willingness to pay for core services and the growing role of women in income generation. These are not marginal patterns; they reflect a systemic shift in how India’s unseen middle is shaping their economic futures.”
