Apex Cluster Development Services Pvt. Ltd. (ACDS), also known as Clusterkraft, was incorporated in India under the Companies Act in November 2004. The company is dedicated to empowering local and regional economies by implementing grassroots interventions in emerging and underserved areas. ACDS serves a diverse range of clients, including international donors, national governments, and leading corporate entities. Over the past 20 years, it has placed a strong emphasis on enhancing regional economies through the application of competitiveness tools.
ACDS boasts a highly qualified team capable of addressing critical challenges in local and regional economic development. Its expert pool includes former UNIDO Cluster Experts, ex-bankers and credit risk analysts, MBAs, economists, and urban planners. These professionals bring a wealth of experience, having worked on-the-ground at the regional level and contributed to policy development at both national and international platforms.
The organization’s action-oriented research has provided valuable insights for policymakers at regional, national, and international levels. Notably, ACDS’s team leader has served on various working groups and committees under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, particularly focusing on technology adoption among entrepreneurs.
Organizational Experience
In its 20 years of operation, ACDS has specialized in conducting diagnostic studies, creating and implementing business plans across various regions and clusters in India. Its key areas of intervention include:
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Diagnostic Studies and Gap Assessments for MSME development
- Local Economic Development and Cluster Development
- Skill Development and ICT/E-governance
- Strategic Marketing and Promotion
- Business Development Services (BDS) Development
- Policy Review and Advisory Support
- Urbanization and Industrialization Strategies
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Handholding Services
ACDS has profiled and studied nearly 100 artisanal and industrial MSME clusters for institutions like the World Bank, NCRPB, GIZ, SIDBI, and various government bodies. It has conducted both desk and field research focused on enhancing MSME competitiveness.
The organization has conducted diagnostic studies and developed business plans for approximately 50 industrial clusters across India. These were prepared for private Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), corporate clients, and government bodies such as SIDBI.
ACDS has worked collaboratively with industry associations and BDS providers, facilitating focus group discussions and strategy presentations. It has implemented cluster intervention programs and business linkage initiatives involving leading BDS organizations. One notable project included phase-wise impact assessment of interventions in clusters at Tirupur, Pune, and Ludhiana, in collaboration with SIDBI.
Additionally, ACDS has created handbooks and digital tools for MSMEs to access BDS providers and strengthen their operational capabilities. Workshops and scheme clinics were conducted across seven major industrial clusters under GIZ and MSME (DC) partnership, mobilizing over 100 applications from 500 participants in 2012-13.
Other notable projects include:
- Profiling of 20 Ayush Clusters under the Ministry of Health, Government of India
- Project Vikas for Microsoft: Status assessment of IT infrastructure across eight industrial clusters
- Impact assessment and restructuring of the Scheme for Integrated Textiles Parks (SITP) for the Ministry of Textiles
- UNIDO Assignment for cluster-based SME value chain development in Odisha
- Informal sector development work for ILO in Delhi, Bangkok, and Kathmandu
- Interventions and studies in Maldives and Nepal
Key Projects and Studies
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Market Access for MSME Clusters: Study on cross-border trade opportunities in partnership with IIFT Delhi and FICCI
- Diagnostic and Technical Assessments: Over 100 studies conducted for SIDBI, GIZ, Microsoft, NIUA, and others
- Odisha Handicrafts and Handlooms: World Bank-funded analysis of competitiveness and value chains, with actionable craft-wise plans
- Braj Region and Buddhist Circuit Artisanal Sector Study: World Bank-funded assessment to support pro-poor tourism development
- BDS Implementation Projects for SIDBI: Cluster-specific BDS strategies in Pune, Ludhiana, and Tirupur; supported by DFID, World Bank, KfW, GIZ
- Economic Profiling of NCR: Study for the National Capital Region Planning Board to suggest sub-regional business plans
- ICT Development for MSMEs: Microsoft-funded "Project Vikas"; included diagnostics, ICT application pilots, training, and infrastructure development
- City Cluster Economic Development: Analysis and planning for NCR in collaboration with NIUA and supported by ADB, including spatial and sectoral development using Michael Porter’s model
Through these extensive and varied engagements, ACDS has emerged as a trusted knowledge and implementation partner for MSME development across India, with a rich history of field-level work and policy-level advisory.
ABOUT THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
An economist and management professional with specialization in local industrial development, sub-sector-cluster based industrial development, and local economic policy. Awarded M.Phil in Industrial Economics from the JNU, New Delhi, India. Mr.Rajveer Singh has served national-international organizations and developmental institutions. He has worked as a key team member in the cluster development program of UNIDO and was appointed as an International expert on cluster-based industrial development for Cambodia.
He has served as a technical advisor in Gujarat and MP for the cluster-based development of MSMEs in these states. He has taken Institution building initiatives to ensure Industrial Development and integrated/ competent BDS across India and designed a scalable program based on the theme ICT for SMEs as PROJECT Vikas for Microsoft to improve their outreach to MSME's clusters all over India. He has served as a member (Working Group), in DST, Gol, under different committees for technology adoption among entrepreneurs. Currently, he is running cluster development program in MSME clusters in various parts in India .
DIRECTOR / DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR
Ms. Mansi Chaudhary
Director / Development Advisor
Mansi Chaudhary has worked in the area of local economic development, primarily focusing on
livelihood, women empowerment and poverty alleviation, by employing strategic planning and
implementation. Masters in Development and International Economics supplemented the field
experience as it facilitated with the technical skills required and acted as a catalyst equipping her to
take on a more complex subject matter. Whereas, the undergraduate studies (economics honors)
facilitated a better insight of long-term perspective of the development process at the grass root
level. competitiveness tools have become standard practice. Identifying local issues and offering a
practical solution for such challenges in a given local ecosystem is her core competence. The
livelihood assignments with craft communities involved interventions at different stages namely;
capacity building, training, microenterprise development and promoting micro and small enterprises
by connecting them to government support.
Livelihood and enterprise development through improved Business Development Services (BDS)
provision has been the key focus in Fruit and Vegetable Processing sector project in Pune. Women
were the principal participants in food processing value chain starting from the sorting, grading,
packing to production and marketing of the processed food products. Under SIDBI-DFID (UK)
funded project BDS enterprise from the community was established to serve best the needs of the
community.
Off-farm handicraft and handloom sector interventions in Ludhiana Hosiery, Tirupur Knitwear,
Chanderi, Maheshwari handloom and handicraft were also carried out.
In the resource-poor and problematic regions, the central issue is the integration of the rural and
urban population in the value chain in a sustainable manner and creating an enabling ecosystem by
investing in human capital, creating infrastructure assets and enhancing access to markets.
Furthermore, to understand the traditional market and to facilitate apt solutions for the same. She
underwent a one-month training program with NOVICA.com, an E-commerce Company; wherein the
primary focus was the detailed study of modern channels of marketing. Enhancing access to the
market is the key component of the contemporary livelihood model. The training contributed towards
designing a distinct model that was able to mainstream craft products from local to national and
national to international market especially from the craft communities of handloom sector.
Recently, She has worked on World Bank and Khadi and Village Industries Commission projects,
respectively. The World Bank Project focused on conducting a sub-sectoral value chain analysis via
numerous field surveys as well as secondary research. Similarly; the project under Khadi and Village
Industries Commission concentrates on isolating the regional challenges that varied industries face
and further, joint action mapping is being carried to facilitate sustainable capacity building at the
grass root level.
Local economic development has been a core part of professional and personal learning of Mansi
Chaudhary. The regional economic scenario is a conglomeration of phenomenon experienced in
other regions of the world and regional economic disparities. Thus, economic development at a local
level cannot be altered by employing traditional economic theories, but unique regional challenges
require customized solutions.
The individual professional capacity that Mansi Chaudhary to offer encompasses adequate practical
as well as necessary technical knowledge that I have gained over the past 6-7 years by working
closely full-time and part-time with experts at Apex Cluster Development Private Limited.