BITS Pilani’s technology business incubator, Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS), has launched the inaugural edition of its startup initiative named “Womenpreneur for Bharat 1.0.” This collaborative program, in partnership with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) under NITI Aayog and supported by the Aditya Birla Capital Foundation, aims to empower women-led startups.
The collaboration, revealed during the state workshop titled ‘Facilitating Women-Led Development through Entrepreneurship’ in Arunachal Pradesh, showcased a commitment to fostering entrepreneurship among women. The event served as a platform for stakeholders from various sectors to strategize on advancing women-led development through entrepreneurship.
The objective of ‘Womenpreneurs for Bharat 1.0’ is to provide financial assistance and incubation support to women entrepreneurs operating within or for tier-2/3/4 cities in specific regions like the Northeast, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir. This initiative seeks both for-profit and non-profit startups aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, targeting challenges specific to these areas.
Vishakha Mulye, Director of Aditya Birla Capital Foundation & CEO of Aditya Birla Capital Limited, emphasized, “We are committed to creating an equitable, inclusive, and long-term social and economic growth for the country. Through ‘Womenpreneurs for Bharat 1.0’, we aim to provide a platform to nurture the growth of women entrepreneurs in the country, who have the potential of impacting a large number of underserved Indians through innovative solutions.”
Anna Roy, Mission Director at WEP, highlighted the project’s strategic approach, stating, “The project embodies a strategic approach to bolster women’s entrepreneurship in the tech4good sector which has significant market and impact potential, aligning with national goals of gender equality, women-led development, and digital inclusion. Women entrepreneurs leading innovations in critical development areas with a tech-led approach can have significant gains overall for business and society.”
The initiative plans to provide funding up to ₹10 lakhs for qualifying startups, coupled with comprehensive incubation support by PIEDS. This support includes mentoring, market access assistance, and opportunities for future investments.
