Ahmedabad : The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) – Gujarat Chapter, supported by the MSME Commissionerate of the Government of Gujarat and implemented by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), has already begun to make a significant impact since its launch on September 3, 2025. In its inaugural nine Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAPs), the initiative has engaged more than 900 women. These programmes took place in various locations across Gujarat, including Bharuch, Nadiad, Modasa, Surat, Navsari, Vadodara, Rajpipla, Anand, and Bhavnagar.
The visionaries behind the initiative include Sri Sandip J. Sagale (IAS), Industry Commissioner, Government of Gujarat; Shri R.D. Barhat, Jt. Commissioner of Industries, Government of Gujarat; Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII and Dr. Amit Kumar Dwivedi, Director – Department of Government Projects, EDII.
Aimed at equipping women in Gujarat with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys, the programmes focus on key areas such as ideation, business planning, and financial literacy. While the curriculum has been carefully planned, the sessions are being led by EDII Team, subject experts and entrepreneurs.
Designed as a one-stop platform, WEP provides women entrepreneurs access to training, incubation, mentoring, funding support, policy advocacy, and market linkages. With EDII implementing the platform at the grassroots across Gujarat, it is fostering a robust ecosystem where women can overcome barriers and scale their business ventures with confidence.
EDII’s Role in Building an Inclusive Ecosystem : With decades of experience in entrepreneurship education, EDII ensures that WEP – Gujarat Chapter goes beyond training to empower women. The programme focuses on:
- Understanding the challenges women face and designing policy interventions
- Offering handholding, counselling, mentoring, finance, marketing, and regulatory compliance
- Creating pathways for employability, skill enhancement, and enterprise scaling
- Strengthening collaboration between the state and central government in promoting women-led businesses.
Statewide Rollout Across 33 Districts : The initiative will cover all 33 districts of Gujarat, with EDII spearheading the execution of a wide range of programmes:
- 25 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAPs) to spark entrepreneurial interest
- 11 Micro Enterprise Development Programmes (MEDPs) to help women set up and grow small businesses
- 5 Employability & Soft Skills Development Programmes (ESDPs) to enhance workplace readiness
- 5 Enterprise Scaling-up Programmes (ESPs) for women looking to expand their ventures
- 2 Exhibition-cum-Buyer Seller Meets to connect women entrepreneurs with markets
- 20 Business Development Services to provide ongoing professional support
For participants, WEP is more than a training programme, it is a chance to reimagine their future. By combining awareness, skill-building, and direct market linkages, the programme is opening doors that many women thought were beyond their reach.
With its upcoming initiatives, the WEP – Gujarat Chapter intends to connect with thousands of women in the months ahead. This effort aims to cultivate a new generation of entrepreneurs who will not only establish their own businesses but also empower families, enrich communities, and boost the state’s economy.