In a first-of-its-kind agreement, two state governments have joined hands to boost growth for the women-led start-ups in various focus sectors in India. WE Hub, India’s first State-led incubator, entered into a partnership with startup and innovation centre i-Hub, Government of Gujarat, to encourage and support women-led startups in raising capital. The partnership will initiate a pre-incubation programme for 240 aspiring women entrepreneurs in the EdTech, MedTech and Fintech sectors in the States of Telangana and Gujarat. Post three months of pre-incubation programme and after rigorous interventions a total of 20 entrepreneurs will be selected for the final virtual/physical co-incubation programme. The commencement of the programme is scheduled for the first week of February 2021.
The MoU was inked between Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce (I&C) and IT, Government of Telangana and Anju Sharma, Principal Secretary, Higher & Technical Education, Education Department, Government of Gujarat. The virtual launch was hosted in the presence of Telangana IT and Industries Minister, KT Rama Rao, Gujarat State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, and Minister of State for Women and Child Welfare, Gujarat Vibhavariben Dave.
This co-incubation brings in the startups the opportunity to scale up to viable enterprises and receive scale-up and rapid growth mentorship from the leaders at i-Hub and WE Hub. The startups will also have Government supported exposure visits across Telangana and Gujarat.
Speaking on the occasion, KT Rama Rao said, “When we announced the formation of WE Hub in November 2017, little did people understand the vision of this initiative and the impact it would create. In the last two years, WE Hub has pushed the narrative of democratizing entrepreneurship by breaking the barriers that exist for women entrepreneurs through its work. We are happy that WE Hub has now become the best practice model for many State Governments in India”.
“Through this collaboration, we are going to equip i-Hub with the learnings, knowledge & ecosystem we have developed in the past three years working with over 3,400 women entrepreneurs, 11 startup programmes, incubating 148 startups and creating over 300 jobs,” said Deepthi Ravula, CEO, WE Hub.
“Through this partnership, we would like to create a roadmap of how Women Entrepreneurship can be scaled, supported & sustained not just in India but across the world. I wish this collaboration the best & pledge our support for an Atma Nirbhar Bharat where Entrepreneurship is based on competence & not gender,” stated KT Rama Rao.
