WE Hub selects 89 startups for GIZ’s Her&Now programme

The startups were selected among 600 applications received

As many as 89 start ups have been selected by WE Hub, a Telangana government initiative for women entrepreneurs, for the second cohort of Her&Now incubation and acceleration programme of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

They were selected from among the 600 applications received. The pitching process had close to 150 women entrepreneurs. Some of the startups shortlisted are Envi Robotics, Nuture Fields, Ladoo Box, Venica Herbals, ASARA Products, Verma Foods, Lesperanzau and SR Silks, a release from WE Hub said.

WE HUB CEO Deepthi Ravula said “our partnership with GIZ enables us to invest in entrepreneurship in tier-II and tier-III cities where innovation is booming. We are looking forward to helping these select enterprises thrive.”

GIZ is implementing the ‘Economic Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs and Start-ups by Women (Her&Now)’ project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. In partnership with the Indian Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, it seeks to support aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs in India.

The first cohort of 30 start-ups from Telangana graduated in August by formally registering their enterprises and raising finances through credit linkages and equity investments.

Tailor-made programme

The tailor-made programme has an incubation programme for seven months to help women entrepreneurs who have been running an informal enterprise or are a part of a group enterprise and now want to start up on their own and establish their enterprises. The six-month acceleration programme is to help formally registered, women-led, for-profit enterprises from tier-II and III cities of Telangana scale up. The shortlisted start-ups will receive benefits, including mentorship; support to ground the enterprises and scale up as well as for product development and diversification; and strategies to increase market and financial linkages.

Industries Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said the State government has been working to enable women to be part of the innovation ecosystem despite the ongoing global crisis.

Head of Project Her&Now at GIZ Julia Karst said through WE Hub Her&Now offers support customised to each entrepreneur and her business.