The latest phase of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform was unveiled today by NITI Aayog, the government’s policy think tank, and Cisco, a multinational firm based in the United States.
WEPNxt, the second phase of the WEP, will use Cisco’s technology and experience working with the Indian start-up ecosystem to empower more women-owned enterprises across the country. WEP is a one-of-a-kind, unified platform dedicated to offering information, support, and education to women from various backgrounds.
According to the Sixth Economic Census, women account for only 13.76 percent of all entrepreneurs in India, according to NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. “We will realise this vision of a new India – where men and women have equal chance to build and share in the glory of achievement,” he said, referring to projects like WEP and WEPNxt.
Apart from innovation, Harish Krishnan, Managing Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Engagements at Cisco India and SAARC, believes that if more women become entrepreneurs, India’s GDP could rise by 1.5 percent by 2030.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, Senior Adviser NITI Aayog Anna Roy, Executive VP Cisco Maria Martinez, Cisco India, and SAARC president Daisy Chittilapilly and Managing Director of Public Affairs and Harish Krishnan, Director of Strategic Engagements at Cisco India and SAARC, attended the event.
