In 2020, Madhura Das Gupta Sinha, a former banker, embarked on a mission to address the low economic participation of women in India through Aspire for Her. She recognised that India ranked near the bottom in terms of gender parity in economic participation. Despite the brilliance of women in academic settings, their workforce participation was declining. This stark contrast urged her to take action and further the trillion-dollar opportunity that awaited if more women joined the workforce.
Fostering Women Entrepreneurship
Recognising the loneliness and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, Madhura and her partner, Navya Naveli Nanda, created the 'EntrepreNaari' community within Aspire for Her. This platform aims to provide mentors, learning resources, visibility and a supportive network.
She said that Aspire for Her's model is represented by four major pillars: E = MC. ‘M’ signifies over 300 mentors and role models from the corporate world guiding women professionally. ‘C’ stands for free courses, cohorts and learning resources like the Stanford partnership for entrepreneurs at all stages. The third pillar is storytelling, sharing success stories of women leaders as inspiration. Finally, the fourth pillar nurtures a supportive community for women to connect, motivate each other, and solve problems collectively.
The Call to Action
Madhura urged the audience to always ask, ‘Is this an entrepreneurial product?’ before making a purchase. She envisioned a world where women contributed equally to India's GDP and entrepreneurial ecosystem. She imagined women ringing the bell of success, their potential truly unleashed. “Supporting women entrepreneurs unlocks their true potential and creates a more inclusive future,” she added.