Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Driving Business Success with Digital Tools

The Role of Digital Tools in Entrepreneurial Success

In the modern business environment, technology is essential to an entrepreneur’s success, particularly for the Micro, Small, and Medium-Enterprises (MSME). The technology is supporting in eliminating barriers towards payment and access to finance, connecting with wider audience, increasing production and size of businesses and bringing a gender neutrality. An increasing number of women are achieving significant success in entrepreneurship across a range of industries. The new age digital tools can offer a great support to women entrepreneurs working at grass root level to increase their businesses and connect with market beyond geographies. In this, Digital Saksham Project is working as catalyst providing specialized training to micro and own account enterprises working at cluster level and with special focus towards upskilling the women entrepreneurs.

The Digital Saksham Project

Digital Saksham Project is an initiative by CII in partnership with Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth organizing special trainings over 13 States and more than 55 clusters. The Project focuses on equipping MSMEs with digital skills and know-how, helping them build digital financial capabilities, leverage digital platforms to expand the market reach, diversify their customer base and create resilient supply chains.

Impact and Reach of the Digital Saksham Project

The program is targeting Own Account Enterprises (OAEs), Micro Factory Sector Enterprises (FSEs) and Small Enterprises (SMEs) and conducting customized trainings in regional languages on the benefits of digitization. The project has reached over 1,67,000 entrepreneurs based in clusters like automobile, textile, agarbatti, leather, jwellery, stone carving etc. conducting more than 49,000trainings for micro entrepreneurs. The result has supported more than 31,000 micro using new age technology tools and thus integrating into digital economy.  

Success Stories

The notable achievements can be clearly seen in the success stories of female entrepreneurs like Manjushree Rathi and Chitra Kshirsagar. Manjushree, motivated by her goal of overall health, and Chitra, driven by her love of sewing, began their own enterprises as modest home-based ventures. Despite facing initial challenges common to MSMEs, such as limited resources and market access, they succeeded because of their determination and integrating digital assistance from initiatives like Digital Saksham.

In Hadapada village, Kurumapada, Kordha District, Odisha the trainings are conducted for the stone carving artists and sculptures to enable them to have wider audience for their traditional art. These artisans earlier were dependent on the orders from traders and surrounding villages but with Digital Saksham Project they are coming ahead to showcase their art on the social media platforms. The women in these clusters are working to make sculptures from the left-over of the marble stones and craft beautiful sculptures. With social media marketing and digital platforms, they are now uploading the product images building a connect with the Pan India market.

These women, along with countless others are excellent examples of how female entrepreneurship is thriving in different sectors including the MSMEs. They demonstrate how women entrepreneurs can overcome obstacles and achieve remarkable success with the right support from digital tools, contributing significantly to both social development and economic growth.

Impact Across Industries

In the MSME sector, female entrepreneurs are using digital means to increase the efficiency of their businesses, reach a wider audience, and remain competitive in today’s technologically advanced society. Initiatives like Digital Saksham Project play a crucial role in providing women with access to essential digital tools, training, and mentorship, empowering them to utilize the power of technology effectively.

With the assistance of digital empowerment initiatives, women entrepreneurs in the MSME sector are making an impact and driving profitable businesses in a variety of industries, including textile, bamboo, Food-Processing, Gold and Silver Jewellery., etc. Their experiences inspire others and highlight the importance of creating an environment where women can thrive and play a significant role in inclusive economic growth.

Celebrating Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Digital Era

The achievements of women entrepreneurs such as Chitra and Manjushree underscore the profound influence of digital tools in the MSME sector. Digital tools are enabling them to streamline operations, access new markets and foster innovation. Moreover, these tools are empoweringwomen entrepreneurs to establish their presence in the competitive business landscape, catalysinginclusive development and societal progress.

By leveraging these resources, women entrepreneurs are surmounting obstacles and driving significant economic growth, while also empowering communities.