NITI Aayog, the government's public policy think tank, and Cisco announced the next phase of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), building on their shared commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs across India. The second phase of NITI Aayog's flagship programme, dubbed "WEP Nxt," will use Cisco's technology and experience working with India's startup ecosystem to help more women-owned businesses flourish across the country.
The launch was attended by Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog CEO), Anna Roy (NITI Aayog Senior Adviser), Maria Martinez (EVP & COO, Cisco), Daisy Chittilapilly (President, Cisco India & SAARC), and Harish Krishnan (Managing Director, Public Affairs and Strategic Engagements, Cisco India and SAARC).
WEP, which was first introduced by NITI Aayog in 2017, is a one-of-a-kind, unified site that brings together women from all walks of life and provides them with a wealth of resources, support, and education. WEP Nxt is an important step towards bolstering these efforts. WEPNxt will be guided by evidence-based decision-making, based on a comprehensive study of Indian women entrepreneurs and their most pressing needs across six key verticals – community and networking, skilling and mentorship, incubation and acceleration programmes, and financial, compliance, and marketing assistance. The concentrated research that is fueling this change is also being made available for the ecosystem's benefit.
Cisco will also enable technology-led experiences and engagements as part of this initiative, in collaboration with the Nasscom Foundation, Sattva Consulting, and the DeAsra Foundation, to address the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs at the individual and enterprise levels, as well as create new opportunities for growth.
"According to the WEP focused study, in addition to greater innovation, up to 170 million jobs could be created by 2030, and our annual GDP could rise by 1.5% if more women took up entrepreneurship – a massive opportunity lost if we delay action to uplift women-owned businesses," said Harish Krishnan, Managing Director & Chief Policy Officer, Cisco India & SAARC.
WEP Nxt aims to close current disparities and create new opportunities for women in India. We are honoured to collaborate with NITIAayog to realise our common goal of a more inclusive and fair future for all.
