Women have made significant contribution towards making India an independent superpower. However, the private business industry, along with the present entrepreneurship landscape, still has under-representation of women in its creative ideas and business models. This has motivated the Government of India to create a one-of-its-kind public portal named ‘Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)’ intended to boost women’s participation in the business industry.
WEP’s objective is to encourage and support women from diverse backgrounds and to offer them different resources that they need to make their mark in the entrepreneurship world. According to a study conducted by the Sixth Economic Census, there are more than 58.5 million entrepreneurs in India, of which only 8.05 million are women. In an attempt to improve these figures, NITI Aayog has partnered with WEP for a new phase titled ‘WEPNxt’.
About WEPNxt
Technology is vital for entrepreneurs and their business ideas. Under WEPNxt, WEP will partner with Cisco and leverage their technological expertise to encourage women's participation in the entrepreneurship world. Cisco is a global leader in the technology landscape and is expected to help WEP create a significant difference in the startup ecosystem.
Cisco shall create technology-led experiences and engagements (in conjunction with Nasscom Foundation, and DeAsra Foundation) to solve problems that women entrepreneurs confront at both individual and organizational levels.
How will WEPNxt help women entrepreneurs?
WEPNxt is a digital platform that is eventually expected to become a personalized guide for every Indian women entrepreneur, assisting them in achieving their goals. This platform shall be guided by evidence based on a thorough examination of Indian women entrepreneurs and their pressing needs in the following areas:
- Networking: The first challenge encountered by women entering the business landscape is lack of the right network and insufficient community connections. WEPNxt would enable them to explore the industry, providing a wide range of information about different processes and nuances of the industry.
- Skills that matter: Entrepreneurship requires a wide range of leadership and organisational skills/pre-requisites. WEPNxt would encourage and enable women to identify and develop these skills. This is expected to build a stronger foundation for women and create a difference in the long run.
- Marketing assistance: Having the right kind of marketing support to broadcast a business idea to the world is an essential feature to sustain in this competitive business market. WEPNxt will also provide targeted marketing support to women entrepreneurs so that their business idea can attract foreign investors and business.
About Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)
WEP is the first unified access gateway of its sort. It connects women from all over India and assists them in realizing their entrepreneurial dreams. NITI Aayog established the portal in 2017. Women from all backgrounds can access a variety of services, support, and learning opportunities that can help them create a difference in the business landscape.