Empowering women in Life Science
March 8, 2023
Women in business ?
Starting a business is not an easy feat, especially for women who often face challenges and obstacles in the entrepreneurial world. However, with the right support and resources, women can turn their passion and ideas into successful startups.
As a young woman entrepreneur in India, there are several obstacles that you may encounter when trying to start and grow your business.
One of the most significant obstacles that women entrepreneurs in India face is gender bias. Due to the patriarchal nature of Indian society, women may face discrimination and bias when it comes to entrepreneurship. This can make it difficult to access funding, networking opportunities, and other resources critical to success of any business.
Identifying key obstacles faced by women in business.
1) Women entrepreneurs have difficulty accessing funding due to lack of collateral, investor’s bias towards male-led businesses.
2) Networking can also be a challenge for women. Social norms and gender biases may limit women’s mobility and opportunities, making it difficult to connect with other entrepreneurs and business leaders.
3) Women are often expected to take care of household and family responsibilities, which can make it challenging to balance entrepreneurship with family obligations.
4) Finally, women may have limited access to mentorship opportunities due to gender biases and lack of women leaders in business. Mentorship is critical to success of any entrepreneur, and without it, women may struggle to develop the skills and knowledge needed to grow their businesses
How state government can be part of the solution ?
Recent policies by the government of Kerala has been proactive in promoting the growth of industries in the state. They have introduced several new policies to encourage women owned businesses.
Kerala start-up mission conducts regular Women startup submits, an initiative to encourage aspiring women professionals to take up the entrepreneurial journey and develop an inclusive ecosystem in Kerala.
The summit brings together aspiring women entrepreneurs at a common platform to share their experiences, aspirations and celebrate success stories. The startup mission also provides softs loan, seed fund schemes to provide financial assistance to start-ups to foster the formation and development of innovation, technology-based business enterprises that will stimulate the economy of the state of Kerala through women venture creations which in turn can increase women employment.
How Zaara Biotech is being part of the solution ?
Zaara Biotech conducted an outreach program at different women’s colleges in Kerala to encourage and empower young women to explore the possibility of starting their own businesses. The program aimed to educate and inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs in the field of life sciences.
As part of the company Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity, Zaara Biotechs core teams visited and gave talks on the topic of student entrepreneurship to colleges all over Kerala and neighboring States.
The outreach program consisted of team Zaara biotech visiting different women’s colleges in Kerala, where the company shared its personal experiences and offered valuable insights and advice to the students. The session touched on various aspects of starting a business, such as market research, product development, and fundraising.
The introduction to “Product Development Training Program” offered by the the comapny was a highlight of the sessions, as it allowed students to receive personalised advice and guidance from successful student entrepreneurs in the life sciences industry. The students also were given the opportunity to network and build relationships with these mentors, who will continue to support and guide them as they take their first steps in entrepreneurship.
Zaara Biotech’s outreach program was a great success, and the feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive. Many of the students felt inspired and empowered to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams, and expressed gratitude for the opportunities and resources provided by Zaara Biotech.
Zaara Biotech’s product pitching event.
The first batch of students from St Joseph’s Irinjalakkuda, Morning star homes science college and St Mary’s college Thrissur has reached the prototype stage and they pitched their product to a panel of experts from Zaara Biotech through an offline event conducted at Kerala start-up mission on 06 March 2023.
In conclusion, programs like these are crucial in supporting and empowering women to start their own businesses. Zaara Biotech’s outreach program in Kerala is a prime example of how companies can play a role in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for female entrepreneurs. We hope that this program will serve as a model for other companies to follow and help more women achieve their entrepreneurial aspirations.
