From Grants to Growth: How Pallavi Pande Turned Non-Dilutive Funding into a Sustainable Brand
Bootstrapping a mission-driven business often means finding innovative ways to secure capital—especially when traditional loans are unavailable. Pallavi Pande’s journey with DTOCS demonstrates how grant funding and pitch competitions can power a sustainable startup from concept to seven-figure success.
Name: Pallavi Pande
Company: DTOCS
Website: https://dtocs.com
Challenge & Lesson:
“One of my most pivotal challenges was access to traditional loans and funding. I leaned into grant funding and pitch competitions—securing over $100K in non-dilutive capital that I used to grow my business into a 7-figure brand in the USA and Canada. That experience reshaped my approach to resilience, resourcefulness, and financial strategy as a woman of color and first-generation immigrant in business in the USA.”
Targeting non-dilutive sources, Pallavi not only retained full ownership but also built the financial runway needed to scale DTOCS’s classy, compostable tableware—from palm-leaf plates to patented bamboo straws—across North America."
Pallavi’s story highlights that when traditional funding doors close, alternative capital—such as grants, competitions, and awards—can open new pathways to growth. Her resourceful funding strategy and relentless drive turned DTOCS into a sustainable leader, proving that mission and ingenuity can go hand in hand in building a resilient, seven-figure brand.
