EdZola Quarterly Updates: Q1 (April to June 2026)

The work behind stronger nonprofit systems, practical AI, new partnerships, and a growing EdZola team.

This year, we are starting something new.

Every quarter, we plan to write to our partners, friends, and the many people we have crossed paths with over the years. We want these updates to offer a more honest view of what goes on behind the screen at EdZola: the problems nonprofit teams bring to us, the systems we build together, what we are learning, and where we think technology for the social sector is heading.

This quarter, our work ranged from setting up foundational systems of record, the core plumbing that helps organisations run reliably, to experimenting with and deploying practical applications of AI.

Here is what happened between April and June 2026.

Systems of Record

The systems behind a program are not always visible, but they shape how teams work every day. This quarter, our work across data systems, CRM, and HRMS focused on making information easier to capture, connect, verify, and trust.

Data Systems · TRRAIN

Strengthening TRRAIN's Core Program Systems

Building stronger compliance and trust into everyday program operations

TRRAIN has been one of our long-standing partners. Over the years, we have worked with their team to build their core program management MIS, donor management system, expense system, and other connected workflows. Our work together continues to become deeper and stronger.

Two deployments from this quarter are particularly worth highlighting.

Real-Time Face-Recognition Attendance

Reliable attendance records inside the systems teams already use

Across training centres, attendance creates a surprising amount of invisible work: marking records, reconciling them, and following up on inconsistencies.

TRRAIN previously used a separate attendance platform that did not sync records in real time, leaving gaps between attendance capture and the program system. We have now implemented a real-time face-recognition attendance workflow with liveness verification inside the systems their teams already use.

A trainee presents to the camera, the system confirms identity and presence, and the attendance record is available to the team in real time. This reduces manual reconciliation, closes common gaps in attendance data, and makes the records easier to rely on.

Automated Document Intelligence and Verification

Stronger verification across placement records and supporting evidence

As an organisation focused on livelihood creation, TRRAIN needs its placement data to remain reliable across program teams, leadership, funders, partners, and auditors. Recording a placement outcome is only one part of the process. The documents supporting that outcome must also be verified consistently.

We built a document intelligence workflow that brings TRRAIN’s placement records, supporting evidence, and verification process into one connected system. Based on the verification logic defined by TRRAIN, submitted documents go through seven to eight layers of automated checks. The system cross-checks key information, calculates a verification score, and flags records that require human review.

Together, the attendance and document verification systems are helping TRRAIN strengthen its compliance processes and build greater confidence in the placement information shared with partners and donors.

CRM · Mudita Alliance for Giving

Mudita Student Scholarship Program

One connected journey from application to scholarship disbursement

Many nonprofits run scholarship programs, and the operational journey involves much more than collecting an application. Teams need to manage eligibility, supporting documents, shortlisting, interviews, agreements, disbursements, renewals, historical records, and follow-ups.

Mudita Alliance for Giving is one such organisation. We deployed its scholarship CRM last quarter, bringing the complete student journey into a single connected system. From the point at which a student applies, through shortlisting and interviews, to agreements and scholarship disbursement, the team can now track the process end to end.

To our delight, more than 600 students have applied for and received scholarships through the program so far.

HRMS · Atma

Atma: Payroll, HR, Expense, and Recruitment

Connecting the operational backbone behind the mission

Atma is an intermediary organisation that supports other nonprofits to become stronger and more effective. As Atma helps organisations improve their programs and institutions, its own team also needs dependable internal systems.

We helped Atma bring Zoho People, Payroll, Expense, and Recruit together as one integrated HRMS. This connects core people processes across recruitment, employee management, payroll, and reimbursements, giving the team a clearer view of the employee journey from the first interview to monthly payroll.

This may not be the most visible or glamorous technology work, but it is often the foundational work that organisations need and struggle to find the right partner to undertake. We are grateful to support Atma as it streamlines the internal people practices behind its mission.

Where We Are Finding Real Value in AI

Our focus is not on adding AI everywhere. It is on understanding where AI can genuinely reduce effort, improve decisions, strengthen institutional intelligence, or help teams do something that was previously difficult to achieve.

This quarter, that work took shape through a new product, direct coaching with nonprofit leaders, and an internal culture of learning by building.

DPDP Compliance · Privacy Readiness

ZolaShield Goes Live

Helping organisations understand where they stand and what to do next

Nonprofits hold deeply sensitive information, including beneficiary records, employee data, donor details, and program data. With India's Digital Personal Data Protection framework, many leadership teams know they need to act, but the hardest part is often understanding where to begin.

This quarter, we launched ZolaShield, our DPDP compliance platform. Organisations can use ZolaShield to complete a guided, AI-supported assessment, understand where they currently stand, identify risks and gaps, and prioritise the actions that need attention.

The first pilots went live with Auroville Language Laboratory, U&I Trust, and Adhyayan Quality Education Foundation. Their early feedback is helping us shape the platform around the realities of nonprofit organisations.

If your organisation would like to understand its current DPDP readiness, you can sign up or learn more about ZolaShield below.

Learn more about ZolaShield

Akshay in a leadership conversation with nonprofit leaders

Leadership Coaching · Institutional AI Capability

AI Coaching and Facilitation for Nonprofit Leaders

Helping leaders navigate AI without being overwhelmed by it

A growing number of nonprofits want to use AI themselves, but need guidance on where it fits and how to adopt it responsibly. That could mean learning how to use Claude effectively for everyday work, developing institutional intelligence that does not disappear when people leave, identifying useful automations, or thinking through how AI can sit above connected organisational systems.

This quarter, we began our AI coaching and facilitation practice. Akshay, our founder, has been working directly with nonprofit CEOs and executives through a regular coaching cadence, usually once every couple of weeks. The conversations help leaders reflect on their work, identify meaningful use cases, experiment practically, and navigate the AI journey without feeling that they need to chase every new tool.

Our view remains that most organisations do not need twenty new AI tools. They need clarity, capability, and support in the few places where AI can make a real difference.

We keep this practice intentionally small, and only a limited number of coaching slots are available. Leaders who are interested can reach out to us directly.

Ask us about AI coaching

Inside EdZola · Learning and R&D

AI Hackathons, by EdZolans

Practising before we preach

We do not want to recommend ways of working that we have not first tried ourselves. With the AI landscape changing so quickly, regular experimentation has become part of the culture at EdZola.

For the past eight to ten weeks, we have been running an internal AI hackathon every alternate Friday afternoon. Team members bring problem statements from their own work, from partner conversations, or simply from something they are curious to explore. We then use the afternoon to build, present a working demo, and receive feedback from the rest of the team.

The hackathons are deliberately low-stakes. They are spaces for learning, growth, and celebration rather than performance evaluation. Some experiments remain experiments. Some become internal tools. Others turn into reusable Claude skills, product ideas, or even the starting point for a client solution.

Have a problem statement that you think is worth exploring with AI? Send it to us. There is no cost attached and no promise that every idea will be selected; the team will pick the problems that best fit the learning spirit of the hackathon.

Send us a problem statement

Built for Impact Program

For many nonprofits, the challenge is not just finding the right technology, but also knowing where to begin and how to fund the first step. Through Built for Impact, we provide practical guidance, strengthen internal capability, and make the right tools more accessible.

Zoho Wallet Credits for Nonprofits

Through the Built for Impact Program, eligible nonprofits can access Zoho Wallet credits of up to ₹3 lakh in India, €4,500 in Europe, and US$5,000 in the United States. The credits help lower one of the first barriers organisations face when investing in the systems they need.

Explore the credits

From Excel to AI: Building Nonprofit Data Systems

For most organisations, the journey does not begin with AI. It begins with a spreadsheet.

Using our MAP framework, Model, Align, and Power with AI, this session showed teams how to understand their current processes, connect the right systems, and introduce AI where it adds real value. The focus was on solving the next sensible problem rather than following the newest trend.

Watch the recording

Events and Conversations

This quarter gave us several opportunities to connect with leaders and teams through masterclasses, webinars, and partner visits to our office. These interactions created space for shared learning, honest feedback, and new perspectives on how technology can support social change.

Participants attending the ILSS KCDT Masterclass

Nonprofit Leadership · Masterclass

ILSS and KCDT Masterclass

We had the opportunity to lead a masterclass for ILSS and KCDT on “From Excel to AI: Building Nonprofit Data Systems.” It was a chance to exchange ideas with nonprofit leaders navigating a familiar challenge: moving beyond spreadsheets and disconnected tools to build systems that genuinely support their work.

Partner Visit

A Visit from the CRY Team

We welcomed the CRY team to the EdZola office for a working session on the platform we have been building together. The visit gave us an opportunity to review progress, hear feedback directly from the team, and align on the next phase of development.

These conversations are an important part of how we work. They help ensure that the platform continues to evolve around real user needs and creates value beyond the initial deployment.

New Partnerships

We are glad to welcome five new organisations to the EdZola journey this quarter and to support them in strengthening their work with the right systems.

People

This quarter, we welcomed people who will help us grow partnerships, deepen our capabilities, and bring fresh curiosity into the work we do.

ShubhamLead, Partnerships and Growth

Shubham joins EdZola with more than 14 years of experience. She will lead our partnerships and growth work, helping us deepen existing relationships, build new collaborations, and take this part of EdZola into its next stage. Many of our partners will begin seeing Shubham in upcoming conversations and calls. Do say hello, particularly if you are exploring ways to partner with EdZola.

SureshIntern

Suresh is a Teach For India student alumnus, which makes his joining us especially meaningful. EdZola's own journey began with Akshay's experience as a Teach For India Fellow. To now have a student alumnus from the same community join EdZola makes the journey feel as though it has come full circle. Suresh brings curiosity about how technology can support programs and communities, and we are glad to have him learning and building with us.

DhruvIntern

Dhruv is the youngest member of the EdZola team. He joined us for a short internship immediately after completing Grade 12 and arrived with enormous enthusiasm for AI, technology, and everything he could explore during his time here. His questions, energy, and willingness to try things have already brought a fresh perspective to the team. We are excited to see where that curiosity takes him.

Please join us in welcoming Shubham, Suresh, and Dhruv, and do say hello when you meet them.

Recognitions

Recognition matters most when it reflects the work, learning, and trust built together over time.

Zoho Advanced Partner, 2026

We were recognised as a Zoho Advanced Partner for 2026. For us, this milestone represents years of learning across the Zoho platform and, more importantly, years of solving real problems alongside nonprofit teams.

Thank you to every organisation that trusted us along the way.

Zoho Advanced Partner certificate of tier recognition

This is the first edition of what we hope will become a regular quarterly note from EdZola.

Many of you receiving it have been part of our journey in different ways: as partners, collaborators, friends, mentors, team members, or simply people with whom we have exchanged ideas. We want these letters to give you a genuine sense of what we are building, what we are learning, and what goes into helping social-sector organisations build stronger technology infrastructure.

Looking back at this quarter, we see foundational systems becoming part of everyday work, AI moving from conversation into practical use, new partnerships beginning, and new people joining the journey. The best work we have done has never started with software alone. It has started with listening carefully, understanding the problem, and building together.

Thank you for being part of the EdZola journey. We look forward to sharing the next quarter with you.

Let us continue the conversation

Is your team thinking about a connected system, practical AI, or simply where to begin? Write to us. We will be glad to understand where you are and think through what might be useful.

Talk to us

Warmly,
Akshay and the EdZola team