Nasscom announces 'Change Makers Summit' for women entrepreneurs

With a view to highlighting women's efforts in the startup ecosystem, assess opportunities and connect them with the business eco-system, Nasscom on Monday announced the 10,000 Startups programme the "Change Makers Summit 2016".

The premier trade association of Indian Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing industry said daylong event will take place on October 7 in Bengaluru.

"From receiving less than 2 per cent applications from Women founders in the first year to having more than 10 per cent of the total applications in 2016, Nasscom 10,000 Startups programme has seen a great rise in the number of women taking up tech entrepreneurship," the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) said in a statement.

"Nasscom 10,000 Startups 'Change Makers Summit' will provide women lead startups access to knowledge sessions, funding options via SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) lending, access to the angel investor networks, and accelerator and incubation support," it added.

The IT representative body said the team has received a total of 280 applications so far and is in a process of evaluating them for the funding, government grants and acceleration opportunities.

The maximum number of applications received is from the booming e-commerce sector followed by fintech, artificial intelligence and IoT (Internet of Things), the industry body added.

"We came across an increased number of applications from women entrepreneurs this year which is a really good sign for the entire ecosystem. With more women addressing their interest towards entrepreneurship, it is essential to introduce such customized programs to promote women entrepreneurship across sectors and business offerings," Vice President of Industry Initiatives at Nasscom K.S. Vishwanathan said.

"We have to slowly introduce dynamics that allow us to live in a culture that boosts us to be inventive and enthusiastic, where our ideas can be fostered and transmuted into great inventions, which can glorify female entrepreneurs the same as men," he added.

"10,000 Start-ups", an attempt by Nasscom to scale up the start-up ecosystem in India, aims to enable incubation, funding and support for 10,000 technology start-ups in the country over the next ten years.

--IANS

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