Exploring Effective Funding for Women Entrepreneurs; Chaired by Gulnaz Brennan
India Global Forum, as part of its 5 day Convention provided the platform to highlight and discuss this important issue. Together, we explored practical strategies and shared experiences on creating a more inclusive and supportive funding ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, aiming to pave the way for a future where gender does not determine access to opportunities.
All entrepreneurial journeys are difficult, but how much tougher is it for women in particular? This question formed the heart of the roundtable discussion I had the privilege of chairing, focusing on the challenges and solutions in building a pipeline of reliable funding for women entrepreneurs to access global markets.
We were joined by a stellar line up of confirmed panellists, each bringing unique insights and expertise to the table. Vaishali Sinha, Co-founder of ReNew, highlighted the need for targeted funding initiatives to bridge gender gaps in the energy sector. Jenny Tooth, Executive Chair of the UK Business Angels Association, emphasized the importance of mentorship alongside financial support to empower female founders.
Evie Mulberry, Managing Partner at Astia, spoke passionately about inclusion and innovation, while Margaret Magdesian, CEO and Founder of Ananda Devices and Jury President for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Science & Technology, shared her experiences from Canada, underscoring the critical role of global networks. Drishdey Caullychurn, Founder and CEO of TEXpert AI, discussed leveraging technology to break funding barriers, and Triin Linamagi, CEO and Co-founder of Sie Ventures, brought a fresh perspective on venture capital for women-led startups.
Other notable contributions came from Elena Mayer-Besting, Program Manager at the UN Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, who joined us virtually from Thailand. Their insights, along with those from Vani Tripathi Tikoo, Lavanya Raja, Pradeep Kakkattil, Af Malhotra, Nikita Thakrar, and Dr. Aanchal Jain, enriched the discussion, making it a truly global dialogue.