DP World and Women’s Entrepreneurship Platform – NITI Aayog Partners in “We Rise” Initiative to Empower Women Entrepreneurs

• DP World and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) were launched. “We Rise – Women Entrepreneurs Reimagining Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprises”a strategic initiative to support Indian women entrepreneurs in expanding globally.

• The program will identify and mentor 100 high-potential, women-led MSMEs across India to enhance export readiness, meet global trade standards, and build business capabilities.

• The initiative, supported by DP World’s global logistics network and trade expertise, forms part of WEP’s broader ATR platform, which focuses on accelerating women’s participation in international trade.

DP World and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) today announced a joint initiative titled “We Rise – Women Entrepreneurship Program Reimagining Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprises”. This program under the auspices of WEP’s Award of Reward (ATR) initiative will help women entrepreneurs in India scale their businesses globally through trade facilitation, mentorship and strategic partnerships.

Under this ATR programme, women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across India with high growth potential will be identified and mentored for global expansion. Using its global logistics network and trade expertise, DP World will work with the Women’s Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and create interventions designed to help 100 women entrepreneurs improve their export readiness, meet global trade demands, and build trade capabilities. As part of this collaboration, the selected women entrepreneurs will also get an opportunity to showcase their products at Bharat Mart in Dubai, a global B2B and B2C marketplace being set up within the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), providing a platform for Indian companies to connect with international buyers.

WEP, which was incubated at NITI Aayog in 2018 as an aggregation platform, turned into a public-private partnership in 2022. It serves as a national platform to strengthen the women entrepreneurship ecosystem in India and make women-led development a reality. In 2023, WEP took a major step towards institutionalizing its partnerships by launching the ATR programme. The initiative brings together ecosystem stakeholders to address the specific needs of women entrepreneurs while celebrating their success stories. It is designed as a plug-and-play framework, enabling collaboration at scale and fostering programs that create tangible impact.

As part of this effort, WEP and DP World have teamed up to empower product-focused female entrepreneurs. With more than 90,000 women entrepreneurs already engaged in the WEP platform, this partnership represents a unique public-private collaboration focused on expanding access to trade and opening opportunities for women’s businesses to grow significantly. It reflects DP World’s commitment to inclusive trade by driving inclusive economic growth through a range of expertise and ideas, enabled through strategic collaboration.

Speaking on the occasion, BVR Subramaniam, CEO, WEP, NITI Aayog, said: “This partnership supports the Government of India’s vision of women-led economic growth. Through ‘We Elevate’, we aim to create an enabling environment where women entrepreneurs can grow, expand and access global markets. By joining forces with DP World, a global leader in supply chain solutions, We are strengthening the foundation for long-term impact.”

Commenting on this initiative, Rizwan Somar, CEO and General Manager, North Africa and Indian Subcontinent, DP World, said: “At DP World, we are working to integrate local empowerment into how we shape global trade. The ‘We Rise’ initiative, in collaboration with NITI Aayog, will transform local enterprises by creating opportunities for Indian women entrepreneurs on the international stage.

This partnership reflects our commitment to building a comprehensive trading ecosystem. By providing women entrepreneurs with business mentorship and access to commerce platforms like BharatMart, we are laying the foundation for long-term inclusive growth that supports economies and societies alike.