WISEN

Learn

Virtual workshops,
expert sessions,
best practices

Celebrate

Member showcase with successes, wins, milestones, vicories

Grow

Grow & scale with knowledge, networks & mentors

Meet

Entrepreneurs, funders, research & collaboration partners

Why?

The WISEN will help members support each other and build a community of women social entrepreneurs across India.

Only 25 per cent of social enterprises in India are led by women. Women entrepreneurs are often subject to discrimination from their families, communities, and investors when compared to male peers. This issue is even more acute for women because social entrepreneurship can be stigmatized as being unprofitable.

As a result, women-led social enterprises in India will benefit from the establishment of a formalized, cohesive network that would provide access to information, capital, mentorship, and other opportunities that are currently lacking in both social and commercial enterprises.

Vision

Providing:
– access to information,
– opportunities,
– capital &
– community
for Indian women social entrepreneurs to:
– sharpen leadership skills &
– scale their impact

Purpose

Leadership

Learn how best to manage energy & strengthen wellbeing for personal & organisational leadership

Business Growth

Scale through knowledge of business models, best practices, fundraising techniques & more

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Community

Access other networks, resource library & support from a peer group of fellow founders

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Social Impact

Collaborate & bring hope, opportunity, change, social and economic equity to communities across India

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Credibility

Promote credibility of members before investors, government agencies, & collaborators

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WISEN Core Group

Core group works on behalf of the network to lay the foundation for the future, expand network’s programs & activities, and nurture collaborations that provide benefits for members.

Core Group

M Padmavathi

Managing Trustee, COROAT

Development professional; functioning in the development sector since 1998; expert in monitoring and evaluation of development projects; conducted research studies on dalit women and young girls working in cotton textile industries.

Core Group

Rema Sivaram

Co-Founder, Ethic Attic

Social entrepreneur & sustainability enthusiast working towards making a change in the world’s second-highest polluting industry – Fashion! Creating social impact through fashion for the planet and people.

Core Group

Usha Devi Venkatachalam

Founder & CEO, Krishi Janani

Technologist & agroecologist; implemented software solutions in 20+ countries; tech architect building sustainable, culture-specific, & locally-appropriate technology solutions in resource constrained environments.

WISEN Subcommittees

Subcommittees support the network in various activities including coordinating & organizing programs, growing WISEN’s virtual network, and supporting communication efforts

Program

Bhavini Parikh

Co-founder & CEO, Bunko Junko

Program

Sucharita Eashwar

Founder, CWE

Growth

Divya P Venkat

Co-Founder, ViDhai Recycling

Growth

Mayura Balasubramanian

Founder, Craftizen

Communication

Anitha Shankar

Founder, Astu Eco

Communication

Deepa Pant

Founder & CEO of SVATANYA

WISEN Patrons

WISEN is the result of a program that provided the inaugural class of 40 women social entrepreneurs across India with the leadership and management skills for scaling their businesses. That project was co-led by Amani Institute and the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) with support from the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai. The three partners continue to support the network after the completion of the formal program. WISEN is growing to add new members, help members support each other and build a community of women social entrepreneurs across India.