Women-led enterprises play a vital role in driving India’s economic momentum. As of October 2024, India is home to more than 73,000 startups with at least one woman director, reflecting the rising presence of women in entrepreneurship. Women-owned MSMEs now make up nearly 20% of the country’s total MSMEs, generating employment across sectors and contributing significantly to the nation’s economic fabric. Yet, for India to become truly Viksit, much more needs to be done to support and scale women-led businesses.
Despite the progress, women entrepreneurs continue to encounter hurdles such as limited access to funding and critical resources. In 2023, funding for women-founded startups in India witnessed a notable decline—reinforcing the urgent need for dedicated interventions and sustained support.
The WeScale Program addresses this need through a structured, year-long entrepreneurship boot camp. This is a paid initiative, featuring 10 in-person Learning Labs and 22 hours of one-on-one mentoring. This immersive program equips women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks, and strategic capabilities required to scale their ventures effectively.
The WeCAP program (Women’s Empowerment and Career Accelerator Program) is NEF’s flagship initiative to support mid-career women professionals in breaking barriers and rising as leaders. Despite women making up 48% of university graduates, only 33% enter the workforce at entry-level roles, and representation falls further to 24% at managerial positions. The leadership pipeline remains thin, with just 17% of women reaching the C-suite and holding 20% of board seats in India. This “broken rung” not only stalls careers but also constrains India’s economic potential.
Research shows that companies with greater gender diversity in leadership deliver 50% higher profits after tax, and that India needs an additional 400 million women in the workforce by 2047 to add $14 trillion to the economy. The question is not whether women should rise – it’s how quickly we can enable it. WeCAP aims to provide that pathway.
Through WeCAP, NEF is not just enabling women professionals to thrive, it is driving the cultural change India needs, where women’s growth at work is celebrated as central to our journey toward Viksit Bharat.
We are building an ecosystem where senior citizens thrive by sharing their expertise to nurture entrepreneurs, professionals, and communities, and shaping dialogue and action towards sustainability, inclusion, and a Viksit India.
Buddy Wiz is NEF’s dedicated mentoring and career support online platform designed to power entrepreneurial and professional journeys. It brings together students, professionals, and entrepreneurs with mentors, curated resources, and opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute. As NEF’s overarching platform for all mentoring initiatives, Buddy Wiz ensures structured guidance, meaningful connections, and measurable impact.
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