By edukalive 
Empowering Women Through Training, Mentorship, and Business Ownership Opportunities
In a groundbreaking move to boost women’s entrepreneurship in the organized retail sector, the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog has launched EmpowHER Biz – Sapno Ki Udaan. This initiative, in collaboration with New Shop, India’s leading 24/7 convenience retail chain, aims to empower women by equipping them with essential skills and resources to thrive in the retail industry.
As part of WEP’s Award to Reward (ATR) program, EmpowHER Biz offers aspiring women entrepreneurs mentorship and comprehensive training on retail management, digital tools, financial literacy, and business development. The program is designed to create a supportive ecosystem that fosters growth, sustainability, and innovation in the retail sector.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Details
The initiative will select 50 women aged 18–35 from Delhi NCR, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat through an online application process. Out of these, the top 20 participants will receive a 100% waiver on New Shop franchise fees, significantly lowering barriers to entry and enabling them to own and operate retail outlets with ease.
This collaboration emphasizes providing opportunities for women entrepreneurs to succeed in organized retail while addressing challenges like access to financing, societal biases, limited mentorship, and lack of credible networks.
A Collaborative Vision for Women Entrepreneurs
Launched in 2018 as an aggregator platform, WEP transitioned to a public-private partnership model in 2022. It has since grown into a robust initiative providing women entrepreneurs with access to finance, market linkages, training, mentoring, legal assistance, and business development services. Partnering with over 30 public and private organizations, WEP’s programs are designed to drive scalable and impactful solutions for women entrepreneurs.
The Award to Reward initiative introduced in 2023 offers a flexible framework for stakeholders to collaborate on innovative and empowering programs, such as EmpowHER Biz.
New Shop’s Commitment to Inclusive Growth
New Shop, which operates over 200 round-the-clock convenience stores across 35 cities and 18 states, has played a key role in democratizing retail ownership. With its presence in high-density neighborhoods, highways, and gas stations, and plans to expand to airports and railway stations, the company aims to empower over 10,000 entrepreneurs in India by 2030 through its franchising model.
“EmpowHER Biz is our largest collaboration under the Award to Reward initiative. By partnering with New Shop, we aim to help aspiring women entrepreneurs overcome barriers and lay a strong foundation for their success,” said Ms. Anna Roy, Principal Economic Adviser at NITI Aayog and Mission Director of WEP.
“New Shop is dedicated to supporting young, first-time entrepreneurs in the retail sector. This partnership with WEP will enable us to provide valuable training, mentorship, and financial support to these women, paving the way for their entrepreneurial success,” added Aastha Almast, Co-founder of New Shop.
Creating a Lasting Impact
EmpowHER Biz stands as a testament to the commitment of both WEP and New Shop to nurture women’s entrepreneurship. By providing a platform for skill development, mentorship, and business ownership, the program is poised to drive lasting change in the retail landscape while empowering women to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. With such initiatives, the future of organized retail in India looks promising, and women entrepreneurs are set to play a pivotal role in shaping its growth.