As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), the U.S. Consulate Kolkata, in partnership with a Shillong-based non-profit ‘Asian Confluence’ organised a two-day boot camp for 25 selected women entrepreneurs from Northeast
India at the American Center in Kolkata, this month.

Addressing the gathering, the US Consul General, Melinda Pavek (photo), said, “The United States believes strongly in women’s empowerment through entrepreneurship, and stands firmly for women’s equality, and inclusion in all
public endeavours. These are challenging times indeed but also an opportunity for us to show the strength and depth of our bilateral relationship. We must keep in mind that women in particular face increased challenges during these times.”

The consulate, in its statement, said, the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) programme, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA), is implementing AWE in over 50 countries globally. The U.S Consulate General Kolkata-led AWE programme has supported 150 early-stage entrepreneurs and business owners from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Nagaland through a structured online education from the University of Arizona’s ‘Dreambuilder’ course.

This included guided facilitation from alumni and business leaders, as well as technical sessions with the ‘Nexus Incubation Hub’ at the American Center in New Delhi. It has resulted in creating an entrepreneurship ecosystem for scaling business ideas and fostering networks to provide access to mentorship, funding, business partners, and market linkages.

The consulate stated that while the programme had to shift to a virtual platform, “We were able to organise three in-person workshops in Dimapur, Shillong, and Imphal with strict adherence to Covid protocol and safety measures. The grand finale brings together 25 top entrepreneurs from the northeast who will participate in a shark-tank styled business pitch session which will be evaluated by a jury panel.

The top performers will be awarded seed funding and/or entry slots as part of the January 2022 cohort of the Nexus incubation programme at the American Center in New Delhi”, said the statement.

Encouraged by the first edition, the US Consulate General will launch the second edition of AWE for 75 early-stage entrepreneurs in Bihar and Jharkhand on 19 November 2021.