Our Work
Proceedings So Far
Over the past two years, the AWE India Network steadily evolved as a collaborative platform dedicated to advancing women’s enterprise development. During this period, four national convenings were organized, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders—including practitioners, ecosystem enablers, financial institutions, and development partners—to deliberate on key challenges and opportunities in the sector. These discussions helped identify critical priorities, which were subsequently consolidated into four thematic working groups. To strengthen collaboration and ensure focused progress, the network also initiated the development of a governance structure comprising co-chairs, thematic working group leads and co-leads, and a core group of members. This evolving structure enabled sustained dialogue, knowledge sharing, and coordinated action among stakeholders, while laying a strong foundation for collective efforts to advance women’s entrepreneurship in India.
18 Jan, 2024
On 18 January 2024, a closed-door roundtable discussion was convened in New Delhi to initiate the formation of a National Network focused on advancing women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship in India. The meeting brought together civil society organizations, development experts, and ecosystem stakeholders to deliberate on the need for a collaborative platform to address barriers faced by women entrepreneurs. Participants discussed the proposed objectives, scope of work, and potential membership of the network. The session also outlined initial steps toward formally announcing the network on International Women’s Day.
14 March, 2024
On 14 March 2024, ACCESS Development Services, in partnership with Sattva, facilitated the launch of the Advancing Women’s Entrepreneurship (AWE) India Network in New Delhi, coinciding with International Women’s Day. The event brought together civil society organizations, practitioners, and ecosystem stakeholders committed to strengthening women’s entrepreneurship in India. Building on earlier consultations, the gathering marked the formal initiation of the network and invited organizations to join as founding members. The launch aimed to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective action to create a more supportive ecosystem for women-led enterprises.
30 July, 2024
On 30 July 2024, the Advancing Women’s Entrepreneurship (AWE) India Network convened a national meeting at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, bringing together network members and ecosystem stakeholders. The convening focused on further shaping the network’s vision, mission, governance structure, membership framework, and engagement strategies. Participants also engaged in brainstorming sessions to develop recommendations for relevant ministries on issues such as access to finance, market linkages, business development support, capacity building, and addressing gender norms. The meeting also introduced a proposed framework for measuring and tracking women’s entrepreneurship through a Women Entrepreneurship Scorecard and concluded with discussions on next steps for strengthening the network’s collective efforts.
19 December, 2024
On 19 December 2024, the AWE India Network held its third meeting, where participants focused on formalizing the network through a clear governance structure and membership framework. Key discussions revolved around strategic priorities such as improving access to finance, enhancing market linkages, supporting business development, and building the capacities of women entrepreneurs. The meeting also highlighted cross-cutting enablers, including digital tools, mentorship, and gender-disaggregated data to track impact. It concluded with agreements on next steps to institutionalize the network, strengthen collaboration among members, and plan actionable interventions to support and scale women-led enterprises across India.
26 May, 2025
First Core Group Meeting was held on May 26, 2025, at ACCESS Headquarters. Core group members outlined the network's vision to advance women's entrepreneurship through four thematic working groups - access to finance, markets, skilling, and policy support. Co-Chairs were mutually nominated, and ACCESS was designated to serve as the Secretariat. An Action plan was developed to initiate the network's registration, digital presence, and member profiling.
18 September, 2025
Second Core Group Meeting, was organized on September 18, 2025, at The Lalit Hotel, New Delhi, focused on finalizing the membership model and strategic priorities of TWGs. Thematic groups discussed data consolidation, public procurement, and mentorship initiatives. Members deliberated on the broader AWE Framework and institutional collaborations.
4 December, 2025
On 4 December 2025, the AWE India Network held its third Core Group meeting at Le Meridien, New Delhi, on the sidelines of the Livelihood India Summit. The meeting reviewed the network’s strategic direction, governance, and thematic priorities, with a strong focus on nano entrepreneurship, access to finance, market linkages, and policy advocacy. Key discussions included formalizing the network structure, consolidating membership, strengthening evidence through the Women’s Nano Enterprise Study, and developing targeted advocacy for recognition and support of nano enterprises. The Core Group also outlined a 12-month action plan, including launching the AWE India website, expanding stakeholder engagement, and scaling collective interventions to support women-led enterprises.