Women Entrepreneurs in India Get Boost from IIM Business Courses and Global Support

10,000 Women Initiative Targets 1,000 New Graduates in India by 2026

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative is a global programme for building a better future for self-sustaining women entrepreneurs, initiated by Goldman Sachs in 2008 as a programme to support women in business with entrepreneurship education, mentorship, and access to capital resources. Moreover, this initiative facilitates entrepreneurship skills in women and connects them with people who boost their growth in the related field. It works with top-notch Indian institutions such as IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow to provide guidance and required help to women entrepreneurs. So far, this programme has supported more than 320,000 women in 150 countries. This initiative not only supported women's empowerment through education but also boosted the economy by involving more women in businesses.

New partnerships added include the inclusion of two renowned Indian Institutes of Management, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow, as fresh academic partners for the Indian program. These two esteemed Indian Institutes of Management will join the team of IIM Bangalore in conducting on-campus classes designed towards supporting women entrepreneurs in India. The program is focused on entrepreneurship education, mentorship, and business networks for women to assist in overcoming barriers, including limited access to capital and limited access to professional connections.

According to the official release, Goldman Sachs intends to graduate some 1,000 women entrepreneurs in India over the next year, building upon the existing base of 3,800 such participants and aspiring for a target of 10,000 by 2033. This expansion is said to well conform with India's Viksit Bharat vision 2047, which strives towards facilitating inclusive economic growth through enhancing the participation of women in economy-related activities.  Enrolled on the wider program for business studies at IIM, part of the certificate can also be accessed online via Coursera, in Hindi, as well as English, ensuring that trade education for women is made available across regions. Evidence of strong results has already been reflected in India, with estimates that those who had completed the course showed fourfold increases in their revenues, as well as doubling the size of their workforce. Collectively, the graduates generated more than 12,000 jobs, and many went on to mentoring, which has extended the benefits of women's empowerment through education.

Particularly, "India womenomics" of Goldman Sachs research highlights the economic potential of integrating women step by step into the workforce. India thus again holds that low female labour force participation is lower than in many other major economies of the world; these entrepreneurship initiatives are thus very important for sustainable growth. Launched in 2008, the initiative has reached over 320,000 women entrepreneurs in more than 150 countries. Now in India, the program is being implemented in collaboration with the IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow, among others, with IIM Bangalore, strengthening the role of IIM entrepreneurship in taking forward some of the global entrepreneurship and management studies initiatives in India. In doing so, the development is an excellent manifestation of a firm commitment toward inclusive growth and quality education for aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Editor’s Note:

The expansion of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative in India is not only timely but also essential. With low female labour force participation, falling short of the global average in the country, this programme should be more than just education; it should be transformational. The initiative works with IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow, along with IIM Bangalore, to tap into the best of Indian Institute of Management expertise to bring about real, measurable impact. This is one of the most practical working models of women's empowerment through education. It does not teach only theory but gives women the tools they need to build enterprises, access capital, and join professional networks. These are some of the barriers that have kept innumerable women from expanding their businesses. The fact that these women have quadrupled their revenues while doubling their workforce is impressive proof of how effective targeted entrepreneurship education can actually be. Incorporating online access via Coursera in both Hindi and English is indeed a clever move. It shows it does not cater solely to elite urban entrepreneurs but to every ambitious woman, irrespective of geography. And this is what makes the initiative great: it is inclusive, scalable, and focused on real-world outcomes. The Goldman Sachs initiative is planning to graduate 1,000 women entrepreneurs next year and 10,000 by 2033. This coincides perfectly with India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. But beyond numbers, what counts is how deep the ripple effect runs. When one woman succeeds, she drags others along with her. The fact that nine out of ten graduates go on to mentor others speaks volumes about the programme's deeper impact.

Skoobuzz believes that this is not just an enterprise venture; it is nation-building. It strengthens the economy, pushes the boundaries of gender norms, and redefines leadership. For India to be serious about inclusive growth, such programmes must not only be continued but also scaled vigorously.

FAQs

1. What is the IIM Ahmedabad entrepreneurship programme? 
The IIM-Ahmedabad entrepreneurship programme trains and assists women aspiring entrepreneurs and would-be business leaders. It focuses on practical business skills, mentorship, and access to networks. As part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative, IIM Ahmedabad now helps women overcome challenges in business and scale their ventures through structured learning and guidance.

2. What is the nexus between IIM Lucknow and Goldman Sachs? 
The program for future expansion of the 10,000 Women Initiative in India is a collaboration between IIM Lucknow and Goldman Sachs. IIM Lucknow offers courses that are primarily offered in-person, as well as provides business education to women entrepreneurs and offers mentorship and capital access opportunities. The partnership will further help many more women establish successful businesses in the economy.

3. What is the Goldman Sachs women entrepreneurship initiative in India? 
The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative in India is a programme focused on empowering women entrepreneurs through education, mentoring and financing. It works with IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Lucknow and other top institutions to provide classroom or online training. It seeks to ensure women grow and build viable businesses that will create jobs and train other people, rather than being mentored by others.

4. What is the 10,000 Women program for Indian entrepreneurs? 
The 10,000 Women programme will see the training and support of 10,000 women entrepreneurs in India by 2033. It will provide courses on business management, access to networks, and guidance on capital mobilisation. Thousands more women have already increased their revenue in tandem with new hires and propelled economic growth because of this programme.

5. What are the IIM business courses for women? 
IIM business education courses for women under the 10,000 Women Initiative include both on-site and online training in English and Hindi. Finance, marketing, leadership, and business strategy are just some of the areas covered by these courses. They are meant to help women entrepreneurs create successful foundations for their operations while also fighting against some of the more common obstacles in the business world.