A group of twenty women entrepreneurs hailing from the eastern and northeastern regions of India participated in an idea-pitching boot camp hosted by the US Consulate General in Kolkata. This event was organized in collaboration with the Aroh Foundation and Nexus Start-up Hub and took place at the American Center in New Delhi.
The culmination of this program occurred during a two-day workshop held at the American Center in Kolkata. These entrepreneurs came from states such as West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Meghalaya and were part of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs’ (AWE) Finale, which is aligned with the US Department of State’s Global Development Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative.
Harkesh Kumar Mittal, the chairman of the Startup India Seed Cell Committee, was honored as the guest at this event.
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) was established by the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (BECA) in 2019 as an exchange program. Since its inception, AWE has been implemented in nearly 100 countries, benefiting approximately 25,000 women entrepreneurs worldwide by equipping them with essential skills for economic success.
The selected entrepreneurs, drawn from the previous three cohorts of AWE, received comprehensive training in evidence-based entrepreneurship, market research, business model innovation, technology adoption, entrepreneurial finance, and business plan development during the acceleration program.
Mohana Chattopadhyay, who operates a secure digital infrastructure company in Kolkata, expressed her satisfaction with the year-long program, emphasizing the diversity among participants.
Drishti Medhi, an entrepreneur from Assam specializing in maintenance services, praised the US Consulate Kolkata for their substantial support, highlighting the rewarding experience.
During the closing session, US Consul General Melinda Pavek emphasized the consulate’s commitment to supporting regional entrepreneurs and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly focusing on women’s economic empowerment. She also highlighted the significant funding achievements of AWE-trained women entrepreneurs in the last 18 months, exceeding 50 million rupees.
The event’s jury will select at least five women entrepreneurs to receive incubation support from leading incubators and a stipend award of $5,000.