NASSCOM joins hands with NITI Aayog to nurture women entrepreneurs

IT industry body National Association of Software and Services Companies has formed a partnership with NITI Aayog to enhance innovation among the women entrepreneurs in the country.

The move aims to create a platform under NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Cell (WEC).

WEC is an initiative by NITI Aayog to support established as well as aspiring women entrepreneurs and create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem where women do not face any gender-based barriers.

Aiming to enhance the number of women entrepreneurs, the partnership will provide opportunities to women to realise their entrepreneurial aspirations, scale up innovative initiatives and chalk out sustainable, long-term strategies for businesses.

NASSCOM, through its start-up warehouses in 10 states, will make available space for 15 women entrepreneur-led startup across locations on a nominal charge, providing infrastructure, high-end technology and field expertise.

NITI Aayog will help identify activities which have a social impact aligned to the WEC’s goals and will monitor the progress of the projects.

“India is now on its next growth curve, led by disruptive technologies like data sciences and AI and women in our country have been leading the growth to the next level. What is required is to create awareness, bring visibility to the existing initiatives and bring departments together. The initiative aims to consolidate efforts in this space by building infrastructure to amplify the impact that women entrepreneurs in India can create,” said Debjani Ghosh, president-designate, NASSCOM.

NASSCOM, under its 10000 startup programme, will work with technology, business, legal and financial support partners to make available startup kits to select startups with an estimated benefit of around $10,000 per startup per year as cloud credits from its partners.

“We aim to promote women entrepreneurship by collaborating with various partner organisations, and work towards increasing the visibility of existing schemes, programmes and services across government and private sectors,” said Anna Roy, adviser of NITI Aayog.

In January 2018, NASSCOM and Facebook picked 10 startups for the social impact programme.