Guwahati: In a bid to enhance the role of women entrepreneurs in India, the Pernod Ricard India Foundation (PRIF) and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) have launched the third edition of PRIF UNNATI, a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative aimed at empowering socially impactful start-ups led by women or benefiting women.
Since its inception, PRIF UNNATI has successfully supported 17 women-led startups, providing them with seed funding totaling Rs. 3.16 crores, as well as mentorship and networking opportunities through IIMCIP. Among these, three startups—Tholua Pratisthan from Assam, and Seven Cherri and Savourit from Meghalaya—hail from Northeast India.
This edition of PRIF UNNATI is notable for its expanded focus, extending support not only to women entrepreneurs but also to social enterprises that work extensively with women beneficiaries. “Originally, PRIF UNNATI was designed to support women entrepreneurs addressing significant social challenges. Given the success of previous editions, we’ve broadened our scope to include enterprises that impact a large number of women beneficiaries. This aligns with PRIF’s core transformation area of ‘Being Diverse and Inclusive,’” said Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, Chief Executive Officer of IIMCIP to Business North East
Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a vital tool for improving the socio-economic status of women in India. PRIF UNNATI is committed to this mission, having empowered nearly 1,00,000 women through its supported startups in the previous two editions.
“We aim to create a deeper, more comprehensive impact on women’s empowerment by reaching further into the grassroots. The expansion of the program’s scope ensures that the benefits contribute to women’s empowerment in a more holistic and far-reaching manner,” Dr. Sanyal added.
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