WER Week Wrap: Women Turn New Possibilities into Progress

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Friday, 11 September 2026

A woman stepping into a senior corporate role, a rural entrepreneur turning a skill into a business, or a new technology addressing women’s health may seem like insolated developments. However, each individual step taken by a woman indicates a broader shift for women in various aspects of life and work. Across workplaces, businesses, public institutions, communities and healthcare, women are finding new ways to be involved, leaders and make an impact.

This week WER brings a compilation of developments that capture these shifts from different angles. Corporate appointments placed women in roles spanning people, operations, marketing and business strategy. Women-led businesses had greater space for development with new funding, training programs and trade opportunities. Politics, governance and equality were discussed, highlighting representation and the remaining challenges to overcome. Seminars and leadership projects at the community level provided opportunities for learning, networking and engagement, while the development of women's wellness and AI- driven healthcare  presented fresh opportunities for informed health choices.

The current edition of the WER Week Wrap reflects a changing landscape where women are not only receiving opportunities, but increasingly using them to create, lead and shape meaningful change.

Women Rise to Key Corporate Leadership Roles

The latest leadership moves tell a story of expanding mandates. Women are not only heading functions but are increasingly being placed where business, people and growth decisions meet.

Koell Hemdev was elevated to General Counsel and CHRO at upGrad, bringing legal, HR, governance and people strategy under her leadership. Anushree Singh joined Godrej Agrovet as CHRO, where she will focus on talent, culture and leadership development. She has over two decades of experience across people strategy, organizational transformation, culture building, M&A integration, board management and leadership development.

In sports marketing, Geetanjali Jain joined JioStar as Director Sports Marketing, bringing experience across brand management, digital marketing and consumer growth. Priyanka Tewari has joined Glenmark Pharmaceuticals as the Head of Marketing with an experience of almost 18 years in the pharmaceutical industry.

At the same time, Kanika Sharma has joined BCG as India HR Manager, joining nearly 5 years after leaving Bain & Company, where she would take up the role of overseeing the talent acquisition and contingent workforce initiatives for the country. At the same time, Ruchi Ahluwalia moved from Chief People Officer to COO at Digitide to be responsible for business transformation and operations. She will be focused on profitable growth, operational efficiency, and digitalization and enhanced customer service.

The titles may differ, but the direction is clear. Women are closing the gap on the core of business where decisions are made about people, growth and performance.

Funding & Business Opportunities Expand Women Entrepreneurs

Several stories emerged this week where women are taking small steps toward larger opportunities. Whether it's a small business or a craft-based initiative, a funded start-up or an overseas market.

In Uttar Pradesh, the State Rural Livelihoods Mission has collaborated with IIM Lucknow to incubate, mentor and develop 150 rural women entrepreneurs and provided them access to grants and interest-free loans. In Shimla, the Department of Industries trained 30 rural women at Global Hill Development Institute, Ghanahatti, in entrepreneurship, business planning, marketing and finance, helping transform stitching and embroidery skills into viable enterprises.

The startup ecosystem also brought strong funding news. AI-powered water infrastructure platform DigitalPaani, founded by Mansi Jain and Rajesh Jain, has raised Rs 22 crore led by Navam Capital, with participation from six investors. The company will use the funding to expand operations, strengthen its market presence and begin international expansion.

Women’s wellness brand Nua raised $50 million in Series C funding from Peak XV Partners, Filter Capital and existing investors. The company will develop its brand, increase distribution, focus on R&D and new product development. Fashion brand, Theater, a digital-first brand, co- founded by Shruti Aggarwal, rose Rs 56.25 crore in its Series A funding, which will be utilized to fuel expansion and future growth.

At the international level, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India is planning to establish more opportunities for women entrepreneurs from BRICS nations. Greater access to finance, to global buyers, to digital trade and business networks could enable more women to gain access to the global markets.

Across these stories, one trend stands out: women are gaining more ways to turn potential into progress.

Women in Policy, Politics & Public Leadership

This week, there were several events that brought into focus the increasing recognition of women as not only beneficiaries of support, but leaders, decision-makers and partners in development.

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani urged for better support for working women and mothers and stressed the need to have women in leadership. He added that women bring a “rare kind of EQ, empathy quotient” to negotiations and real-life situations. Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, Pravati Parida, called upon Odisha's society to treat women as development partners and entrepreneurs and urged them to be more involved in governance, business and innovation.

Women’s Political leadership also continued to be the focus with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla pointing out that 33% reservation for women could create new opportunities for women in politics and policymaking. The tenders for women only are being proposed in Zimbabwe to provide more opportunities and access to infrastructure to women business ventures.

Equality and freedom from identity was also brought into focus at the individual level via Tamil Nadu Advocate M A Sneha's struggle to obtain a certificate of no-casteand no-religion. The “No Caste, No Religion” recognition followed years of persistence by Sneha, who was raised without either identity and spent nearly a decade seeking formal documentation for her way of living. Former SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya, on the other hand, spoke about the unconscious gender bias and why it's better to learn about what is inhibiting women and younger workers rather than assuming.

Together, these stories point to a larger change: real women’s empowerment begins when systems stop placing limits on women and start removing the barriers that hold their potential back.

Women’s Empowerment, Community & Social Progress

Women's role in business and leadership is expanding in various regions of the world. This week, there were indications of opportunities and leadership where women are making progress, and where they need more support.

In Hyderabad, FTCCI’s women empowerment conference brought entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors and industry leaders together to discuss access to finance, technology, markets and leadership opportunities. The conference takes place at a moment when women-led businesses, technology, entrepreneurship and workplaces are proving to be key factors in India's economic revolution.

The 15^th Arabian Women Exhibition in Doha attracted more than 20,000 visitors and presented 140 female entrepreneurs from Qatar, providing networking opportunities and collaboration and business development.

In New Zealand, Over 250 women from the Hindu Women community attended an entrepreneurship, professional development, public leadership and community service conference. The conference recorded strong growth compared with its inaugural edition in 2025, which attracted 125 delegates in Wellington. In the interim, Sushmitha Konidela was also appointed as a Special Invitee to the Kanakadurga Temple Trust Board and will serve in an advisory capacity in temple administration.

Meanwhile, A study by IIT Kharagpur experts Ruchi Singh and Binita Tiwari highlights digital barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh. Beyond smartphone access, limited digital literacy, family support and familiarity with e-commerce and social media marketing restrict their use of technology, making it harder to participate fully in the digital economy.

The message is clear: creating opportunities for women is important, but giving them the right skills, resources, technology and support is what can turn participation into real and lasting growth.

Health & Wellness Innovations Put Women First

This week, women’s health saw progress across both everyday wellness and medical technology. New wellness solutions and AI-led research are bringing greater attention to women’s changing health needs.

Pee Safe expanded into women’s wellness with within, a science-backed brand offering products focused on gut and intimate wellness, weight and appetitemanagement, and menstrual and hormonal health. The brand plans to expand its portfolio over the next two to three years while also creating an education-focused community around women’s health.

Meanwhile, researchers at NYU Langone Health and Perlmutter Cancer Center developed NYU-DRP, an AI model that studies years of 3D mammograms to estimate a woman’s five-year breast cancer risk. The model achieved 72 percent accuracy, performing better than models using a single 3D mammogram or 2D scans. It also outperformed the Tyrer-Cuzick risk assessment tool in the study.

In Prayagraj, 1,208 women from self-help groups have been trained as Swasthya Sakhis to strengthen rural healthcare awareness. Trained in maternal and child health, nutrition, immunisation and first aid, they connect families with health services, support timely check-ups and welfare schemes, and receive an honorarium for their community-based work.

These developments point to a simple shift: women’s health is moving toward solutions that understand individual needs, use better information and support earlier, more informed decisions.

Final thought

From corporate boardrooms and rural enterprises to public institutions, communities and healthcare, women are finding more spaces to participate lead and grow. Yet opportunity becomes meaningful only when it is backed by access to finance, skills, technology, representation and supportive systems. The developments of the week show progress taking different forms and each creates another pathway for women to have a stronger place in the economy and society.