Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. (KMBL) has announced a new batch of the Women Startup Program backed by Kotak BizLabs and run by NSRCEL. The project will seek to empower women entrepreneurs by providing the following support: Long Term Mentorship, access to the ecosystem, and business development support, especially for Tier-II and Tier-III city founders.
Knowledge Kotak Mahindra Bank's Women Startup Program is an initiative of CSR which aims to combat the difficulties faced by women entrepreneurs such as access to funds, mentorship and professional networks. So far the program has helped over 600 women entrepreneurs, both aspiring and existing, the bank says.
The program will be part of Kotak's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem ‘Kotak BizLabs' to offer structured support throughout the entrepreneurship journey. The program consists of 4 phases: Foundation, Pre-incubation, Incubation and Scale-up, to help women founders explore business ideas, validate concepts, build start-up and expand start-up activities.
The startup ecosystem in India has seen a huge growth in the past few years, and more than 223,000 startups have been identified. Yet, there are some challenges for women entrepreneurs, including low access to credit, limited opportunities for mentorship, and social issues that can impact entrepreneurial activities, which are still present, especially in non-metro areas.
Key Highlights:
- Kotak–NSRCEL Program: New Women Startup Program under Kotak BizLabs to support women entrepreneurs
- Startup Support: Mentorship, ecosystem access, and structured 4-stage growth journey
- Impact: 600+ women supported and ₹3 crore funding to 30 startups in 2025
Himanshu Nivsarkar, Head – CSR & ESG, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, said, “Capital is only part of the problem, and often not the first. For many women, the bigger challenge often is lack of peer ecosystem that supports them in long-term decision-making. The Women Startup Program under Kotak BizLabs is committed to building that self-reinforcing network, providing women founders with the capability, confidence, and continuity they need to ensure they don't fall out of the entrepreneurial pipeline.”
Rasika Prashant, Chief Executive Officer, NSRCEL, added, “The next wave of entrepreneurship in India will emerge from diverse geographies, sectors, and founder backgrounds. Women entrepreneurs, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, are solving critical challenges in their communities, but often lack access to the networks and support systems needed to scale. Through the Women Startup Program, we aim to bridge these gaps by providing structured, long-term support that combines mentorship, market access, peer learning, and ecosystem connections. With our continued partnership with Kotak Mahindra Bank, we are building pathways that enable more women founders to transform ambition into sustainable and scalable ventures.”
The program is also growing its reach into other regions beyond metro and now caters to startups in fields like regenerative agriculture, community-led education, waste up cycling and applied technology. The program provided funding to 30 startups worth of ₹3 crore in 2025.
The launch of a Women Startup Program in Kotak BizLabs is expected to enhance support for entrepreneurs by providing a robust ecosystem for innovation, business expansion, and capacity building.
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