Hyderabad, February 16, 2021.

Biggest ever Business Women Expo 2021 in India is to be held in Hyderabad City from March 6 to 8th at Hyderabad International Trade Expositions Centre (HITEX), Hyderabad. The event jointly organized by HITEX, Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP) and Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (COWE) is being held on the eve of the International Women’s Day. The Expo with the theme ‘Bounce Back’ will provided largest platform for women entrepreneurs from SMEs, MSMEs and start-ups to showcase their products and services and also strive to guide and mentor women to take up entrepreneurship. Celebrating and encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit of women, different women establishments have come on a single platform to organize the Business Women Expo 2021. TiE, HYSEA and Govt. of Telangana are supporting the Expo.

Hon’ble Shri Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India; Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home: Hon’ble Dr Mrs Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana among others have consented to grace the Business Women Expo 2021.

Giving details Ms. Durga Vahini, Vice President of ALEAP informed that the expo will give an opportunity for women led business to bounce back from the Covid-related lull in the industry. An Incubation and Acceleration Pavilion will also be setup to provide mentoring, marketing and funding support to upcoming and budding entrepreneurs and women who want to take the dive into entrepreneurship. Women Entrepreneurs will also be provided e-marketing support through their digital platform ALEIZONE (www.aleizone.com). The platform will help rural and semi-urban entrepreneurs’ access global markets, she informed. We have gone through an uncertain phase, scared for our future, health, safety and livelihood, it is time to march forward now, she said. Getting back to business is important and the Business Women Expo 2021 is organized to encourage women entrepreneurs and showcase their products and services, he added.

Mr. Sambit Mund, Senior GM of Hitex said that the expo will also provide an opportunity to business houses to support women entrepreneurs to source their office supplies manufactured by women entrepreneurs.

Ms. Vandana Maheshwari, Vice President, COWE India and Neeraja Reddy, President of COWE Telangana Chapter informed that apart from the Expo, they will be organizing knowledge sessions to equip the women with the right knowledge, skills and aptitude. Seminar on Co-existence of both genders will also be organized. Young girls from colleges will be invited to pitch their business ideas and the best ones will be given Cash prizes. We want to tap the resources and get the young women into entrepreneurship, Ms. Neeraja said.

Smt Rashida Adenwala - Board Member TiE & Lead - TiE Women Program addressing the gathering said that the second edition of TiE Women Global Pitch Competition in partnership with BSE’s empoWer accelerator will be launched at the Business Women Expo. In this competition, Women entrepreneurs will be given an opportunity to pitch their business ideas and the selected ones will receive training, mentoring, and access to funding to develop their entrepreneurial initiatives, Ms. Rashida informed. A panel discussion will also be held with the winners of the first round of TiE Women Global Pitch Competition, she added. The winners of the first round of the Pitch competition were announced in January 2021 and awarded a total of US$ 135,000 prize. An Investor Lounge will also be setup at the Expo, she said.

Another highlight will be that Women from Raj Bhavan (spouses of staff of Raj Bhavan) christened Raj Bhavan Pariwar who were trained by ALEAP will setup their stall of handicrafts at the Expo and Governor of Telangana Ms. Tamilisai Soundararajan will be inaugurating the same.

In conjunction with the Business Women Expo, India Lifestyle & Bridal Fashion Week Season 3 will also be held. The ILBFW will bring India’s finest designers and showcase their designs and collections, informed Ms. Aabha Mirza, Organiser – ILBFW. Six fashion shows each day will be held as part of this wherein fashion and jewellery designers will showcase their latest collections. Amyn Farista, Jaya Misra, Mumtaz Khan, Nick Roshan, Daivd, Naveen Kumar, etc. are some of the upcoming and leading designers who will take part in the ILBFW at Hyderabad, she informed.