Ubuntu unites 350 delegates on Women's Entrepreneurship Day

NT Bengaluru

In celebration of International Women's Entrepreneurship Day, Ubuntu Consortium held an inspiring international seminar, themed "Borderless Business Opportunities." The event, hosted at Hotel Taj Vivanta, brought together 54 associations and their 2,100 members from across the globe to foster collaboration, trade, and investment among women entrepreneurs. Over 350 delegates attended, with 60 women from Karnataka showcasing their products, embodying the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. The inaugural session was graced by Chief Guest Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Minister, MSME & Public Enterprises.

Special Guests included Rajneesh, IAS, Additional Secretary & Development Commissioner, MSME, Government of India, Sarah Gideon, Head of Communication and CSR, Flipkart and Carey Arun, Counsellor for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Consulate Chennai. The event featured three engaging panel discussions. The first, "Borderless Business Opportunities," was chaired by Parul Soni, Secretary General of the Association of Business Women in Commerce and Industry (ABWCI), with contributions from international panellists, including Phoebe G. David, President of ABWCI Philippines, Shirley Jayawardana, the Chairperson of Ceylon Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs, Almas Jiwani, President of Emeritues UN Women Canada National Committee and Dr Asif Iqbal, President of Indian Economic Trade Organisation, Bengaluru.

The second session, "Fostering Business Collaborations, Trade, and Investments between Countries," was chaired by Nitesh K Patil, IAS. Speakers included Michelle Wade, Commissioner, South Asia, Global Victoria, HE Shabeena Sultana, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Tunisia among others. Speaking to News Trail on the sidelines of the event, Shirley Jayawardana remarked, “Educated girls are often steered towards professional jobs due to the perceived security and safety they offer. The entrepreneurial space, however, remains predominantly male-dominated because of limited opportunities for women. This disparity needs to change.” Almas Jiwani stated, “Women contribute to the GDP just as much as men. There’s a common misconception that all women do is talk, but when we talk the talk, we also walk the walk provided we are given an equal seat at the table. The Ubuntu Star Awards for Women Entrepreneurs, celebrate excellence in four categories: Start-Up, Scale- Up, Second Innings, and Hidden Gems.