CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Diya TV) — Harvard Kennedy School has named Piyush Jain, co-founder and CEO of CarePal Group and ImpactGuru, the recipient of its 2025 Alumni Innovation Award. The school recognized Jain for his groundbreaking work in transforming healthcare financing in India through technology-driven platforms that improve access and affordability for millions of patients.
The Alumni Innovation Award, presented by the HKS Alumni Board, honors graduates who use innovation, leadership, and creativity to drive meaningful social impact. Jain received the award during the school’s alumni reunion weekend on May 16 at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum. Jain is known for building a technology-enabled ecosystem that addresses India’s critical healthcare financing challenges. He co-founded ImpactGuru and CarePal, two ventures that offer integrated solutions for patients who need urgent and long-term funding.
ImpactGuru, which was incubated at the Harvard Innovation Labs, is a crowdfunding platform that has helped more than 50,000 patients and engaged 4.5 million donors worldwide. CarePal, launched more recently, includes two key platforms: CarePal Money, a 0% interest healthcare lending marketplace, and CarePal Secure, which offers health insurance and protection plans. These tools provide financial support to patients who struggle to pay for non-critical and elective medical treatments.
“Healthcare is still out of reach for many families in India,” Jain said. “We created ImpactGuru and CarePal to solve this. No one should lose a loved one because they can’t afford treatment.”
Jain’s journey started as a student at Harvard Kennedy School. While pursuing his Master’s in Public Policy, he began developing ImpactGuru as part of his Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE), a capstone project required for graduation. The idea matured at Harvard Innovation Labs, where Jain found support and mentorship from faculty members, including Professor John Haigh.
“What began as an academic project has turned into a life mission,” said Jain. “Our goal is to make healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone in India and beyond.”
Jain graduated from HKS in 2013. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In his LinkedIn post, Jain thanked his co-founders, Khushboo Jain and Vikas Kaul, along with their leadership team and more than 850 employees. He also acknowledged hospitals, doctors, donors, insurance and lending partners, and investors for believing in their mission.
“I’m deeply honored to receive the Alumni Innovation Award from Harvard Kennedy School,” Jain wrote. “This is a shared recognition for everyone who stood with us in building a better future.”
CarePal Money has already enabled over 1,200 patients to access non-critical care through interest-free loans. Meanwhile, CarePal Secure’s insurance products have supported over 200,000 people, especially those in India’s underinsured middle and lower-income populations. Jain aims to help at least 1 million patients by 2030.
“We’re just getting started,” he said. “We will keep pushing the boundaries of innovation in healthcare finance.”
Alongside Jain, Harvard Kennedy School also honored other global leaders this year. Natalia Gavrilita, former Prime Minister of Moldova, received the Alumni Public Service Award. Sebastian Burduja, Romania’s Minister of Energy, earned the Emerging Global Leader Award. Carol Finney, director of HKS’s MPA/ID program, won the Julius E. Babbitt Memorial Volunteer Award. Lisa B. Sloane received the HKS Fund Outstanding Alumni Award.
CarePal is a healthcare finance ecosystem that integrates crowdfunding, medical loans, and insurance solutions. Its platforms—CarePal Money, CarePal Secure, and ImpactGuru—offer financial support for patients and families across India. The company works closely with hospitals, doctors, pharma companies, donors, and financial institutions to provide timely help to those in need.
Jain and his team continue to lead the charge in building scalable, tech-based solutions for India’s healthcare system. With a mission-driven approach, their work stands as a model for how innovation and policy can create lasting impact.
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