Priya Krishnamoorthy: 200 Million Artisans

It all began with a simple spreadsheet, one that would eventually grow into 200 Million Artisans. Before becoming a social entrepreneur, Priya Krishnamoorthy spent nearly a decade working as a journalist.

The Pandemic That Exposed a Fragile System

When COVID-19 reached India in 2020, orders disappeared and many craft businesses had no income. Priya was in Boston at the time, but messages began arriving from Indian craft enterprises that could no longer pay the artisans working with them.

She wanted to help people find trustworthy fundraisers, so she opened an Excel spreadsheet and began listing verified organisations supporting artisan communities. 

The spreadsheet was only meant to become a small blog, and that was it. But volunteers from around the world soon began joining her, and what only started as a simple emergency list grew into a huge support network.

How 200 Million Artisans Was Born

Priya launched 200 Million Artisans in 2020 after seeing how badly COVID had affected craft communities and small handmade businesses. What began as an emergency response soon grew into an organisation working on the bigger problems facing India’s handmade economy.

The name comes from an unofficial estimate that more than 200 million Indian livelihoods may be connected to the artisan economy across the handmade supply chain.

The problem is that these businesses are asked to grow without suitable funding, strong networks or reliable information about their own sector.

This mismatch leaves many promising craft businesses stuck between having a good product and having the money required to purchase materials, pay artisans or complete a large order. 

Building the Missing Support System

In 2026, 200 Million Artisans focuses on three connected areas of research, community building and inclusive finance. Its purpose is to help craft led brands, startups and social businesses receive the same serious attention given to other growing industries.

Through the Kula Conclave, it has brought founders, investors, researchers and policymakers into the same conversation, helping craft-led enterprises connect with mentors.

An Excel spreadsheet created during the pandemic has grown into an ecosystem connecting handmade businesses with the support they were always missing.