FICCI FLO, under the leadership of National President Ms. Poonam Sharma, organized “WISE Demo Day: 1:1 Investor Connect,” in collaboration with Weneurs Forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting aspiring women entrepreneurs in establishing their innovative business ideas. The event focused on supporting women-led STEM startups by connecting women entrepreneurs with investors and mentors for potential collaboration.
This networking session focused on fostering innovation, growth, and meaningful partnerships after the successful discussion on STEM startups and the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in managing them. The event was successful due to the esteemed sponsors, Kirtilals – Visibly Brilliant Since 1939, and SJK Innovations Private Limited.
Chief guest, Ms. Padmaja Ruparel, co-founder of IAN, graced the session with her presence and helped attendees by telling them about the importance of perseverance, innovation, and inclusivity to drive meaningful change among WISE (Women in STEM entrepreneurship) leaders.
Distinguished Guests of Honor
- Shri Saket Misra- Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council
- Shri Satya Prakash Singh- Chief General Manager at SIDBI
- Shri Prof. Nagaraja (Naga) Prakasam– Investor, Angel Mentor & Fund Advisor
- Shri Rajiv Singh- Vice President (Business & Corporate Affairs) at SJK Innovation.
The session began with a welcome note and opening remarks by Dr. Manisha Acharya, founder and director of Weneurs Forum, to inform present women entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, sponsors, and FLO members about the event overview and the purpose of WISE Demo Day. Then, FICCI FLO president, Ms. Poonam Sharma, highlighted the organization’s steps towards empowering women entrepreneurs in STEM during her welcome address.
She talked about the contribution of the FLO STEM initiative in successfully educating and supporting women to make them a part of the workforce in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Ms. Mamta Bakliwal, National Head for Women in STEM and Tech, added about the role of FICCI FLO in bridging the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) industries by fostering innovation and providing STEM education to women and young girls in underprivileged societies.
Esteemed Guest of Honour, Shri Saket Misra, Shri Satya Prakash Singh, Shri Prof. Nagaraja (Naga) Prakasam, and Shri Rajiv Singh inspired the attendees with their speeches on women-led entrepreneurship and economic development, leading towards creating an inclusive and impactful future. They emphasized the need for more women entrepreneurs to build innovative startups and businesses in the STEM industries.
Around 18 FLO members attended this 1:1 investor connect session. Also, the Demo Day session gathered visionary investors, incubators, ecosystem enablers, and dynamic women-led startups. The event ended on a good note with pitching and Q/A sessions for enabling networking between investors and women entrepreneurs. The collaboration of FICCI FLO with Weneurs Forum is a testament to the organization’s efforts towards encouraging and supporting women-led startups to shape the future of business innovation.