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Given the powerhouse of talent that India is, its burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem has scripted many success stories. However, there is a need to harness and channel a demographic that has been demonstrating its potential for innovation for years — women. 

Sample this: Despite an 11-time increase in the number of women entrepreneurs in the tech space between 2018 and 2020, they secured only 1.43 percent of the funding deals during this period, according to a report.

To that end, the Indian Institute of Management- Bangalore’s (IIMB) incubation cell NSRCEL will help talented women entrepreneurs boost their venture journeys with the ninth edition of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women.

Launched in 2008, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women is a global initiative that fosters economic growth by providing women entrepreneurs around the world with an education in business and management, mentoring and networking, and access to capital.

NSRCEL has uniquely adapted the programme for small and medium-sized enterprises and will be conducted online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The training consists of three distinct modules of online sessions over a period of three months. The participating women entrepreneurs will get a chance to expand their horizons in subjects like accounting and finance, decision making and negotiations, marketing, strategy, networking, leadership and soft skills.

If you are interested in applying for the programme, click here! The last date to apply is April 18, 2021.

What’s in store for entrepreneurs

The participants can look forward to learning from the experienced faculty members and guest lecturers of IIMB who will conduct the sessions. The sessions will contain insightful case studies and local practical examples, while taking into consideration the lessons the pandemic has taught the business community.

There will be one-on-one mentoring sessions with experts from different industries who will share their insights and guide the entrepreneurs in their growth journeys.

Once they complete the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women programme, the entrepreneurs will also receive support via masterclasses, panel discussions, workshops and other engagements organised by NSRCEL.

The course will be divided into three modules. Here is a brief description of the modules: 

• Module 1-Scoping the environment

The programme will commence with an analysis of the business landscape with a section on financial and accounting skills. The participants will be drafting their growth plan by identifying the resources and tools they could leverage and the risks involved.

• Module 2-Building the self

The entrepreneurs will be made familiar with the best managerial practices in decision-making, negotiations, and developing a personal brand.

• Module 3-Building the organisation

In the third module, the entrepreneurs will assess their businesses’ performance and draft a growth plan as a roadmap for their ventures. They will also learn about product ideation and developing prototypes through market research and digital marketing.

Who can apply

While the participants will not have to pay any fee to attend the course, they will have to meet the eligibility criteria. Some of conditions are:

• A participant should be the key decision-maker in a senior leadership role like a CEO, COO or president
• The venture must have been operational for at least a year
• The business must have at least three employees on the payroll
• The venture’s turnover for FY 2019-2020 or FY 2020-2021 should be between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 30 crore
• The entrepreneurs should be open to accessing external capital for growth

“The 10,000 Women programme is a tremendous opportunity for women whose ambitious objective is to grow their companies. This year’s programme is specifically designed to help entrepreneurs identify opportunities to diversify or expand businesses in the current COVID-19 context. We hope this programme translates into a limitless opportunity for female entrepreneurs and contributes more fully to the Indian economy as it recovers from the impact of the pandemic,” said Prof Venkatesh Panchapagesan, Chairperson, NSRCEL

Interested in applying and fast-tracking your business’ growth journey? Apply now!