Social enterprise accelerator Villgro and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India have launched a new programme to accelerate women-led businesses in India. The programme called 'EMPOWER Her Journey, will support women entrepreneurs by bridging the financing gap and accelerating access to digital tools for enhanced market reach. 

The programme recognises the problems such as lack of awareness of relevant government/banking schemes, cultural constraints, and access to mentors faced by women entrepreneurs. And aims to solve issues through peer-to-peer learning sessions, training, networking opportunities, and mentor support. It will also train entrepreneurs on digital transformation tools to increase sales and business acceleration strategies such as Go-To-Market, fundraising, and impact measurement. 

“We hold the firm belief that empowering women entrepreneurs extends beyond economic growth; it sets in motion a ripple effect that profoundly influences families, communities, and the nation. With 'EMPOWER Her Journey,' we envisage a future wherein women-led enterprises lead in driving social progress and sustainable development, further strengthened by the unwavering support of UNDP,” said Jenaan Lilani Bhargava, advisor, Villgro.  

She further added, “With this programme, we aim to leverage our 20+ years of expertise, empowering 1,600 women across the country to thrive in entrepreneurship, foster growth, and achieve remarkable success.” 

As per a recent survey, around 47 per cent organisations recognised by the Department for Promotion of Iindustry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) have at least one women director. In addition, the participation of women in businesses is steadily rising. 

Applications for the programme are open to Indian enterprises founded or co-founded by women or having women in senior executive roles who have less than 5 years of operations in any sector. Start-ups at the ideation, pre-revenue, or revenue-generating stage can apply. 

The first cohort will see the participation of 100 women-led start-ups and women entrepreneurs. The applications are open until August 30, 2023. 

Established in 2001, Villgro works to make innovative, impactful businesses succeed in health, agribusiness, and climate action. Since 2001, Villgro has supported 352 social enterprises that have raised over Rs 4.28 billion in investments, created 6469 jobs, and impacted over 20.8 million lives. It was recognized as the “Top Incubator” in India by Invest India (DPIIT, GoI) in 2020.