Here's how Goldman Sachs and IIM-B plan on encouraging women entrepreneurs in India

At a time when chorus is growing for more women entrepreneurs, Goldman Sachs is supporting NS Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at IIM Bangalore to launch a women startup programme that will encourage and support women in starting their own busines

The programme is a three-phase model that will offer online and classroom training, as well as business incubation, to support the next generation of women entrepreneurs. IIMB said the programme will be offered at no cost and is open to all aspiring women entrepreneurs. That means women with no previous entrepreneurial background but keen to set up ventures of their own can enroll for the programme.

“We have designed this course by combining the latest research on entrepreneurial methods and best practices,” said Suresh Bhagavatula, chairperson of entrepreneurial ecosystem development at NSRCEL in a statement. The course will teach both entrepreneurial and managerial skills, provide mentoring and networking opportunities, and access to capital to help empower women navigate their early ventures as well as equip them with tools to strategise and grow their businesses.

Notably, India was placed in the ‘bottom three’ among 31 countries when it came to opportunities for women to start entrepreneurial initiatives, according to a 2015 Global Women Entrepreneur Leaders Scorecard, sponsored by Dell. The US led the list with a score of 71, followed by Canada, Australia, Sweden and the UK. The scorecard of 31 countries ranked India in the 29th position followed by Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Sonjoy Chatterjee, chairman and co-CEO of Goldman Sachs (India) said - "Goldman Sachs is committed to investing in communities and is honoured to support IIMB in their efforts to educate the next generation of women entrepreneurs in India.”

He said the company has long invested in the potential of women entrepreneurs — through its 10,000 Women initiative — to fuel economic growth and help build stronger communities globally.