SheRises: An initiative by STEP & FICCI FLO

“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.”

In recent times women’s entrepreneurship has been gaining attention due to its potential to drive economic growth and job creation. However, in India, where women-led businesses account for only 14% of total enterprises, we still have a long road ahead. Along with cognitive biases, women entrepreneurs encounter obstacles such as a lack of family support and limited access to financial resources, education, and technology. 

Gender-specific barriers such as lack of asset ownership, limited mobility, and unpaid care work make it difficult for women entrepreneurs to succeed in a male-dominated business environment. 

Nevertheless, the importance of women entrepreneurs cannot be overstated, as they are responsible for employing 30% of the country’s female workforce. The gender dividend that comes with promoting female entrepreneurship could bring 150-170 million jobs to India by 2030, making it essential to address the challenges that women face in starting and running their businesses.

FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) is a division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) established in 1983. With 19 chapters across India, FLO represents over 9600 women entrepreneurs and professionals. FLO focuses on entrepreneurship development, professional excellence, and women’s empowerment. It provides a platform for women to showcase their talents, skills, and experiences across sectors of the economy, encouraging and facilitating them to set up their businesses and promoting more women in leadership positions. FLO works at grassroots, middle, and senior levels to achieve true empowerment, contributing to India’s economic growth.

STEP is a pioneer in building a robust and nurturing ecosystem for women entrepreneurship. STEP believes women leaders are essential for a society’s growth and development. Since its inception in 2019, it has built a connected and interactive community that is a safe space for networking and support.

Both STEP and FICCI FLO are working towards building an ecosystem for women entrepreneurship in India. They have joined hands to offer SheRises- a unique initiative to empower and support individuals looking to establish and grow their businesses. This well-structured program is tailored to meet the needs of women homepreneurs, entrepreneurs, and innovators. 

One of the standout features of the SheRises program is its reach. The program will be offered in 16 different cities in India, making it accessible to a vast number of women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds and regions.

Participants in the She Rises program will have access to a wide range of resources and opportunities. The program is designed to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today’s competitive business environment. They will have access to:

• Learning sessions
• Mentorship
• Empathetic community
• Networking 
• Funding opportunities 

The program spans over two months, from July to August, and comprises four main components: 

• Application launch
• Screening and selection of startups
• Mentorship & learning sessions 
• Pitchfest/Conclave 

Eligibility criteria

• The applications are open to women (and non-binary)  led enterprises/business/startups
• At least one of the co-founders should identify herself as a woman
• The applicant should be minimum 18 years of age. There is no upper age limit
• The Startup/enterprise should be at the revenue stage.

The first cohort of the program is available in the following six cities.

• Ahmedabad
• Vadodara
• Lucknow
• Kanpur
• Jaipur
• Indore
• Ludhiana
• J&K- Leh

The first cohort was inducted on the 30th of June.

The program will start soon in the following cities:

• Hyderabad 
• Kolkata
• Mumbai
• Chennai
• Coimbatore 
• Bangalore

The applications for the second phase will open on the 1st of July

For more details, write to us at sherises123@gmail.com, or call: 9910047359

Last date to apply: 31st May 2023

Application link: https://forms.gle/wj73qazjFLtVqmm86