Increase in number of women entrepreneurs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 58 women entrepreneurs have registered with the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) in the last three months. With this, the number of women entrepreneurs, which stood at 175 last year, has risen to 233 in the first quarter of the new year. KSUM provides financial and technical assistance to women to start and develop enterprises. Last financial year, KSUM provided financial assistance of Rs 1.73 crore to start-ups founded or co-founded by women. It also provided 1 crore as loan.

The main financial supports offered to women entrepreneurs through Startup Mission are a productization grant of Rs 12 lakhs for the development of new products and a scale-up grant of Rs 20 lakhs for the expansion of existing ventures. There is also a scheme that provides up to 5 lakhs for digital marketing and promotion of an enterprise. Last year, women startups raised Rs 8 crore through various innovative programs. Startup Mission's management training program exclusively for women entrepreneurs is also noteworthy.