Tech firms and women entrepreneurs engage in speed-dating round tables to create networks.
At a time when startups are exploring all avenues to reach the market and expand their bandwidth, women entrepreneurs in the city went a step further.
Around 40-50 small and medium scale businesswomen indulged in speed dating with the likes of IBM, Accenture, Intel, HP, Walmart etc.
Happening for the first time in Bangalore, the objective behind speed dating was primarily to network, get to know one another, pitch across business ideas and entice the MNCs to source products and services from the entrepreneurs.
The women were divided into small teams of eight to ten, whereby each team got to interact with every MNC for a duration of 30 minutes. Post which, all entrepreneurs got the opportunity to present themselves and their business for a short duration of one minute each.
“It is a platform where procurement teams from MNCs can connect with women entrepreneurs and look at doing business with them in the future. The women can promote their business and products, and find buyers among the corporates,” says Elizabeth Vazquez, co-founder and CEO, WEConnect International, a non-profit that works with women-owned businesses.
Kumud Srinivasan, president, Intel India, says a lot of growth emerges from small and medium enterprises, “specially those run by women.”
According to entrepreneurs, it is necessary to have a platform where representatives from MNCs are ready to provide guidance on taking businesses ahead, to know what corporates look for from small businesses and how to market products and services at a larger level.
Indrani Mukherjee, managing director of Bambooz, a startup that designs bamboo based rooftops, cottages and car parking lots, says her main target clients are corporates.
“Offices, hotels etc who stress on interiors and usage of natural material are our key target.
Reaching out to them and convincing them about interiors crafted from bamboo often proves a daunting task. Therefore networking platforms help in creating the right business pitch,” she says.
According to Neelma Bhavnani from Sewa Gitanjali, that trains ragpickers to create stationery and gift items, corporate support is essential to grow social organisations.
“Firms like Goldman Sachs and Accenture buy thousands of the products made by our women like notepads, files, pen stand etc. Meeting and networking with several MNCs at a single forum proves highly beneficial for us,” says Bhavnani.
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