Women’s Day Special: Women startups are growing at 30 percent rate in UP… Daughters are becoming famous in tech, agritech and healthcare.

Lucknow, Read: Rapid expansion of women entrepreneurship is being seen in Uttar Pradesh. More than 9,600 women-run startups are active in the state and their number is increasing with a growth rate of about 30 percent. Women are making a strong mark through innovation in technology, agritech, healthcare and service sectors.

Training, mentorship, incubation and financial assistance are being provided to women through the startup policy implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and schemes to encourage innovation. This is enabling women to transform their business ideas into successful ventures.

According to experts, the increasing number of women startups also reflects the changing economic and social picture of the state. A new model of entrepreneurship is emerging with the participation of women, which is promoting self-reliance, innovation and inclusive growth.

Women startups are also getting encouragement under the ‘Nidhi’ (National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations) scheme of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Under this scheme, financial assistance has been provided to 25 women-run startups of Uttar Pradesh. According to startup expert Ajay Chaturvedi, such early financial assistance plays an important role in making new ventures sustainable.

Women entrepreneurs are also getting support from the Rs 1000 crore UP Startup Fund established by the Yogi government. So far, about Rs 325 crore has been distributed from this fund, which has benefited more than 900 women startups. Now the startup culture in the state is not limited to only big cities. Women from small cities and towns are also developing technology-based solutions, agritech platforms and new models in the service sector.