CHENNAI: State government-backed women-focused entrepreneurship initiative, Empower Her 1.0, was launched in the city on Tuesday, with 160 aspiring entrepreneurs joining the first batch.
The programme, rolled out by the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (StartupTN) in collaboration with the TNWeSafe project, seeks to build entrepreneurial capacity among women across the state, with a larger plan to train more than 6,000 women within a year through similar training cycles.
The first batch comprises participants from Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur selected through an application process. As part of the launch, the cohort began with a two-day bootcamp designed to help participants convert business ideas into structured, actionable plans.
The training curriculum includes sessions on refining business concepts, developing viable business blueprints, strengthening pitch communication, identifying risks through structured exercises, and improving leadership and decision-making capabilities.
Participants are expected to receive continued mentorship support and a structured post-programme roadmap to guide further progression.
The event, held at Ethiraj College for Women, also saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding to establish a "Campus Circle" at the institution to promote entrepreneurship engagement.
A StartupTN pre-incubation Centre was also inaugurated on campus to provide early-stage support, including idea validation, mentoring and guided venture development for students and women entrepreneurs.