Panaji, October 2025: A significant step toward strengthening women-led businesses in Goa has begun as the SBI Foundation, in partnership with SEED (Society for Education, Environment and Development), officially launched a new phase of the Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari initiative. The programme has now commenced training for 60 women entrepreneurs selected from North and South Goa.
The goal is clear — to build a supportive, growth-driven ecosystem that empowers women food entrepreneurs with the skills, tools, and confidence needed to scale their ventures.
Building Expertise with Aspire For Her
This cohort benefits from subject expertise provided by Aspire For Her, a social enterprise dedicated to adding one million women to India’s workforce. Their involvement strengthens the initiative’s focus on digital visibility, branding, and strategic business scaling.
Together, SBI Foundation, SEED and Aspire For Her aim to equip women entrepreneurs with the right knowledge pathways, market connections, and mentoring networks that will help them transition from local businesses to scalable enterprises.
Who Are the ‘EntrepreNaaris’?
The 60 selected participants include home chefs, food processors, catering service providers and small food-business owners — many of whom have already built strong reputations within their communities.
However, the initiative will now help them elevate their operations through:
- Enhanced branding
- Strengthened digital outreach
- Access to new markets
- Expert mentoring
- Networking with fellow entrepreneurs
Training Designed for Real-World Impact
In the next phase of the programme, participants will undergo:
- Expert-led online workshops
- One-on-one virtual mentoring sessions
- Interactive knowledge-sharing circles
- Networking with mentors and peers across India
These sessions aim to address common challenges faced by women entrepreneurs — from scaling operations and improving online presence to identifying market gaps and enhancing product visibility.
Leadership Voices
Sanjay Prakash, MD & CEO of SBI Foundation, emphasized the deeper purpose behind the initiative:
“This initiative is not just about enterprise development — it’s about unlocking potential, fostering self-belief, and enabling long-term resilience among women who are often the silent drivers of local economies.”
Romira Roy, Co-founder of SEED, added:
“The launch of this cohort is another step in creating pathways for women to scale their potential, access resources and strengthen their presence in the market.”
Growing Community of Women Entrepreneurs
Since its launch earlier this year, the EntrepreNaari initiative has received over 200 applications, from which 122 women entrepreneurs were shortlisted. This newly launched cohort now marks the start of a focused, structured training journey that will conclude with:
- A final pitch fest, and
- A graduation ceremony in January 2026
The initiative is shaping a vibrant community of women entrepreneurs ready to lead, innovate and transform Goa’s food business landscape.
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