Mumbai: WEConnect International, with support from the U.S. Department of State, hosted the final Regional Business Conference “Trade For Impact” under the project “Maximizing Women Business Owner Contributions through Trade” in Bengaluru. In South Asia, women-owned enterprises make up nearly 20% of businesses, yet fewer than 5% engage in international trade. The project “Maximizing Women Business Owner Contributions through Trade” has taken bold steps to close this gap, demonstrating the power of impact sourcing and positioning women as vital contributors to global supply chains. The Conference brought together over 200 participants, including women entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, policymakers, and ecosystem partners from across South Asia, to celebrate the project’s far-reaching impact and chart the path forward for women in trade.
Over the course of this three-year initiative, the project successfully transformed the business landscape for women across India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. More than 5,600 women-owned businesses (WOBs) gained access to global markets, supported by over 8,000 hours of training that directly benefited more than 2,100 women entrepreneurs. These investments translated into tangible opportunities, creating 4,000 new business connections and leading to over 100 business transactions between corporations and women-owned firms.
Elizabeth Vazquez, CEO & Co-Founder of WEConnect International, emphasized the transformative nature of this journey: “This conference is the culmination of a remarkable effort to demonstrate the power of women’s economic participation in trade. By connecting thousands of women-owned businesses with corporations and building their capacity to compete globally, we are not only empowering entrepreneurs but also reshaping supply chains to be more sustainable and resilient.”
Corporate engagement has been at the heart of the program. More than 500 new corporations were sensitized to the benefits of impact sourcing, with 225 companies actively participating in matchmaking sessions with WOBs, and 10 high-level corporate roundtables focused on impact sourcing strategies. This has created unprecedented opportunities for women entrepreneurs to integrate into corporate supply chains.
Highlighting the importance of government and ecosystem support, Prof. M.V. Rajeev Gowda, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Ex Professor, IIM Bangalore, noted: “Women entrepreneurs are central to India’s economic growth story. Initiatives like this unlock their potential to drive innovation, engage in cross-border trade, and contribute significantly to national and regional prosperity.”
The project fostered regional cooperation, forging 18 partnerships with leading associations and business chambers, and convening 22 major conferences and events that engaged over 2,000 participants. These efforts strengthened local business networks and created an enabling environment for women to succeed not just locally, but regionally and globally.
