Michigan, USA: The William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan has appointed Rajat Chabba as its new Senior Director of Innovation and Partnerships. This newly created role aims to strengthen WDI’s efforts to foster enterprise growth and build innovation ecosystems in developing markets.

Chabba brings over 10 years of diverse experience across sectors such as women’s health, infectious diseases, and climate health. In his new role, he will focus on forging strategic partnerships and driving global initiatives that empower entrepreneurs and innovators, according to an official statement from WDI.

Before joining WDI, Chabba worked as the Technical Director for Market Solutions at Jhpiego’s Innovations Hub. During his tenure, he led private-sector collaborations to achieve health improvements across regions including Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Additionally, he founded Jhpiego’s Worldwide Innovation Support Hub, providing mentorship and guidance to more than 100 social innovators working within complex healthcare systems.

“WDI’s expertise in energy, climate, and health positions it as a key player in building and accelerating entrepreneurial ecosystems in low- and middle-income countries,” Chabba said. “I’m eager to explore opportunities at the intersection of innovation, platforms, and ecosystems to create meaningful collaborations that benefit entrepreneurs and innovators in emerging markets.”

At WDI, Chabba will focus on tackling key obstacles faced by startups in emerging markets, such as limited financing options. He plans to explore alternative funding approaches, including impact investing, blended finance models, and public-private partnerships.

Wendy Taylor, President and CEO of WDI, highlighted Chabba’s skill in connecting diverse stakeholders, describing his appointment as a significant milestone in advancing WDI’s mission to serve as an enterprise accelerator and catalyst for systems innovation.

Chabba holds an MBBS degree from BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad, India, and a Master’s in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Gujarat. His accolades include the Acumen Fellowship (2015) and the League of Intrapreneurship Fellowship (2021).