Themes Overview

Building Pathways for the Growth of Women’s Enterprises

Women's economic empowerment and entrepreneurship is widely recognized as a catalyst for unlocking the full potential of Nari Shakti and a critical pathway to ensure women are fully integrated and mainstreamed in the economic milieu to foster inclusive growth, economic development, and achieving gender equality. Compared to the global average of 37%, Indian women contribute 18% of the country's GDP while constituting 48% of the population. Only 14% of them choose to become business owners. Women face an uphill battle, navigating societal biases, limited access to resources, a shortage of skill and training development opportunities, and a lack of enabling policies. Accelerating the quantity and quality of entrepreneurship can create over 30 million women-owned enterprises, generating an additional 150–170 million jobs.

The clarion call by the Hon’ble Prime Minister for Women-Led Development has laid significant focus on nurturing women entrepreneurs through financial support, skilling, and training. Despite the significant progress made in recent years, the need to bridge the gaps in access to market, finance, skilling, and re-skilling opportunities for women and address gender-based constraints is crucial to contributing more significantly in advancing women’s labour force participation, enabling them to set up sustainable enterprises, enhancing their capacities, and contributing to the national GDP.

The Udyam Mahila Ideathon is focused on creating innovative, scalable solutions that address critical challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, particularly in:

✨ Access to Finance

✨Access to Markets

✨Skilling for Entrepreneurship

THEME 1: Bridging the Gender Gap in Access to Finance

Women entrepreneurs often struggle to access financial resources due to systemic biases, lack of collateral, and limited financial literacy. Despite various government schemes and institutional interventions, women-owned businesses receive significantly less venture capital and bank credit than their male counterparts.

To overcome these obstacles, it is crucial to craft innovative financial solutions that not only enhance access to credit but also introduce alternative funding models. Additionally, fostering greater financial literacy among women entrepreneurs is vital, empowering them with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the competitive business world. By addressing these challenges head-on, we can pave the way for a more equitable landscape where women-led enterprises can flourish.

Challenge Goal:

Develop an innovative financial empowerment solution that improves access to funding for women entrepreneurs through alternative financing models, AI-powered credit evaluation, and tailored financial literacy programs. The solution should address systemic biases, utilize data-driven insights for fair credit assessment, and equip women entrepreneurs with the financial skills to succeed.

THEME 2: Strengthening Market Access for Women-Led Businesses

Women-led enterprises, especially within the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector, encounter significant hurdles when it comes to accessing broader markets. These obstacles stem from alabyrinth of supply chain barriers, a lack of robust digital visibility, and minimal engagement in procurement systems. As a result, these businesses often experience stagnated growth and diaminished revenue potential. The pressing challenge lies in crafting innovative solutions that not only strengthen market linkages but also enhance the digital footprint of women entrepreneurs. This effort aims to empower them to effectively integrate into formal supply chains and thrive on e-commerce platforms, unlocking their full potential and driving sustainable growth.

Challenge Goal:

Create a solution that helps women-led MSMEs reach bigger markets by improving their supply chain connections, increasing their online presence, and making it easier for them to join procurement systems. The solution should use technology to connect businesses with new opportunities, provide digital tools for growth, and support their success in supply chains and e-commerce platforms.

THEME 3: Skilling for Entrepreneurship

Many women, especially those in rural and semi-urban areas, face a significant barrier in accessing effective skill-building programs that are crucial for launching and sustaining their businesses. While existing vocational training initiatives may offer hands-on skills, they often overlook vital entrepreneurial competencies such ascomprehensive business planning, savvy financial management, strategic digital marketing, and the nuances of e-commerce. Additionally, the importance of soft skills—like communication, negotiation, and leadership—remains largely unaddressed. The pressing challenge lies in designing innovative, scalable, and inclusive gender transformative skilling models that not only equip women with these essential tools but also empower them to confidently navigate the complex landscape of entrepreneurship, enabling them to transform their aspirations into thriving enterprises.

Challenge Goal:

Develop an innovative and inclusive skill-building program that equips women, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, with both vocational and essential entrepreneurial skills. The solution should cover business planning, financial management, digital marketing, e-commerce, and soft skills like communication and leadership. By providing practical and accessible training, the goal is to empower women to confidently start and grow successful businesses.

Udyam Mahila Ideathon Challenge

Overview

Themes

Prizes

Help & Support

Udyam Mahila Ideathon Challenge

Overview

Themes

Prizes

Social Share

Help & Support