The Kerala Startup Mission-organised Women Startup Summit 4.0 is aimed at enhancing gender equality in entrepreneurship
In continuation of the three-year-old activities by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) towards encouraging women entrepreneurs in the state, a women’s conclave will get underway during the coming weekend in Kerala’s business capital of Kochi. The 2022 Women Startup Summit 4.0, scheduled for September 23 and 24, comes amidst the state government’s intensified efforts to bring in better gender equality in entrepreneurship.
While the first day proceedings will be held at KSUM’s Kerala Technology Innovation Zone in Kalamassery on 23rd, Kerala Health Minister Veena George will formally inaugurate the summit on September 24. The summit will have 30 live sessions and more than 80 speakers besides 500-plus delegates. The venue will also display more than 100 products. The event features master-classes, workshops, pitch fest, SheLovesTech and Investor Café besides the product expo.
Participation of aspiring women entrepreneurs
According to KSUM Chief Executive Officer Anoop Ambika, the nodal agency for startups in Kerala envisages a boost to the creation of an ecosystem that ensures far greater participation of aspiring female entrepreneurs by removing barriers on their path to establishing business ventures. The idea is to reduce female under-representation in businesses related to science and technology, he added.
The first day of the summit will hold two pitching sessions: on productization grant and She Loves Tech India ’22. The productization grant will be for those Indian startups that have women holding more than half the ownership stake. The winners will get a grant of Rs 5 lakh, besides soft loans of Rs 15 lakh (6 per cent interest). There is also provision for seed funds, organizers said.
Encouraging women startups and entrepreneurship
The summit will host a panel discussion on ‘Exploring the Plethora of Opportunities and Support to Promote and Encourage Women Startups and Entrepreneurship’. The afternoon sessions will three workshops and a pitching under ‘Investor Café’, before a panel discussion (Smart Steps), followed by networking.
The inaugural day of the summit will chiefly hold four panel discussions and three fireside chats. The summit seeks accelerate and empower the women entrepreneurs in the startup ecosystem with technology and innovation, according to organisers. With the aim of giving women entrepreneurs an opportunity to up-skill and collaborate globally, the event will see leaders in “real action” from all across the globe.
The speakers would include founders and managing partners, predominantly women, of a range of successful companies.