WEP and Urban Company Launch Initiative to Empower Women Entrepreneurs in Beauty and Wellness Sector

Pilot Program Aims to Scale Women MSMEs Nationwide, Foster Sustainable Growth, and Strengthen Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) has launched a pilot initiative under its Award to Reward program to support women micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in scaling their businesses in the beauty and wellness sector. This inaugural cohort, a collaborative effort with Urban Company, will empower 25 women entrepreneurs from Delhi NCR by providing training, mentorship, and business development resources tailored to the salon industry.

A baseline study by MicroSave Consulting identified four primary sectors with significant women MSME presence: beauty and wellness, textile manufacturing, retail trade, and food and beverages. These sectors collectively host over 100,000 women entrepreneurs. The pilot focuses on the beauty and wellness sector, aiming to establish scalable templates and strategies that can be extended to other industries.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Urban Company, a leading home services platform, will lead the program in collaboration with other stakeholders. A transparent selection process will shortlist 25 women based on open applications and specific criteria. Selected participants will receive comprehensive training, including technical skills, business management, and customer engagement strategies, to enable them to expand their businesses effectively.

Ms. Anna Roy, Principal Economic Adviser at NITI Aayog and Mission Director of WEP, emphasized the significance of the initiative:

“Supporting women entrepreneurs is vital to achieving women-led development. Women dominate the beauty and wellness sector, and this program will help them build more profitable enterprises while creating a robust ecosystem for sustainable business growth.”

WEP: Driving Women-Led Development

Established in 2018 under NITI Aayog, WEP transitioned into a public-private partnership in 2022. The platform serves as a convergence point for government bodies, businesses, philanthropic organizations, and civil society to foster scalable and sustainable initiatives for women entrepreneurs. With over 20 public and private partners, WEP addresses six key needs for entrepreneurial growth:

Access to Finance

Market Linkages

Training and Skilling

Mentoring and Networking

Business Development Services

Recognition and Incentives

Through its Award to Reward initiative, WEP institutionalized its partnerships to implement plug-and-play frameworks, allowing diverse stakeholders to collaborate on impactful programs.

Achievements and Future Goals

Engagement: Over 30,000 women entrepreneurs are already engaged with WEP across various sectors.

Collaboration: Urban Company’s involvement marks a significant public-private partnership aimed at empowering women in the beauty and wellness sector.

Outcomes: The pilot will document insights and learnings, creating templates to upscale support for women MSMEs across the country.

A Model for Sustainable Growth

This program aims to create a ripple effect by not only equipping women entrepreneurs with practical skills but also improving access to resources and markets. With an emphasis on building profitable and sustainable businesses, the initiative aligns with India's larger vision of inclusive economic growth.

Strengthening the Ecosystem

The partnership between WEP and Urban Company underscores a shared commitment to women-led development, offering a comprehensive framework for growth, recognition, and long-term impact. By scaling such efforts nationwide, this initiative has the potential to transform India's beauty and wellness sector into a hub for women entrepreneurship.