Women power Uttar Pradesh’s startup boom

Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a sharp rise in women-led entrepreneurship with more than 9,600 start-ups run by women are now active across the state's expanding innovation ecosystem.According to officials, the number of female-led ventures grew by nearly 30%. The data speaks for a steady shift as women entrepreneurs are carving out a strong presence in sectors like technology, agritech, healthcare and services."The trend is a sign of changing economic and social dynamics in the state, where entrepreneurship among women is increasingly driving innovation and self-reliance," an official said."Start-up promotion initiatives and innovation-focused schemes expanded access to training, mentorship, incubation and financial support, enabling women to convert business ideas into viable enterprises," an official said.Central govt programmes also contributed to the momentum. Under the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations launched by the department of science and technology, 25 women-led start-ups from UP received financial assistance to scale up innovative projects.Start-up expert Ajay Chaturvedi said early-stage funding was crucial for young ventures. "Such financial support in the initial phase helps start-ups stabilise and build sustainable business models," he said.Financial backing also came through the state's dedicated start-up fund. Out of the Rs 1,000 crore UP Start-up Fund, nearly Rs 325 crore was already disbursed, benefiting over 900 women-led start-ups.Significantly, the state's start-up culture is no longer limited to large urban centres. Women entrepreneurs from smaller towns and districts are increasingly launching ventures in technology solutions, agritech platforms and service innovations.