600 women students rise through We Hub’s prog

Hyderabad: WE Hub, India’s first state-led incubator for women entrepreneurs, celebrated the graduation of the inaugural cohort of its flagship student initiative, WE Enable. The programme, aimed at fostering entrepreneurial and leadership skills among women students from government and private colleges across Telangana, marked a significant milestone as 600 young women completed the six-month journey.

Congratulating the graduates while delivering the chief guest address, the Minister for IT, Industries & Commerce, Telangana, D. Sridhar Babu, said, “Young women are not just learners—they are problem-solvers and changemakers. I urge every young woman to ask herself, ‘Why can’t I become a role model?’ WE Hub 2.0 is enabling women to scale their aspirations and enterprises, building a strong, future-ready innovation ecosystem in Telangana. As we envision ‘Telangana Rising 2027,’ the government is committed to shaping a $3 trillion economy by 2047—with women’s empowerment at the core of this journey.”

The Telangana government has decided to establish exclusive Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) parks for women in every Assembly constituency as part of a long-term strategy to promote women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

He underlined that women’s empowerment must begin within the family and translate into active participation in economic and social life. “There is a visible change in social attitudes towards women across Telangana, which signals a deeper shift in societal thinking,” he said.

Citing official data, Sridhar Babu stated that Telangana’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) stands at 52.7 per cent, significantly higher than the national average of 45.2 per cent. He noted that women’s workforce participation in the state has increased sharply from 22 per cent in 2017–18 to 40.3 per cent in 2023–24, reflecting better access to employment and enterprise opportunities.

The minister credited WE Hub with playing a pioneering role in nurturing women entrepreneurs and said the proposed WE Hub 2.0 initiative would focus on building globally competitive women-led enterprises. He said the government is creating an integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem to enable women to access skilling, technology, finance, markets and mentorship under one framework.

Priyanka Dutt, noted film producer and entrepreneur, and Jwala Gutta, Olympian and founder of the Global Academy for Badminton, shared their personal stories of perseverance and leadership. Their words encouraged students to dream beyond boundaries and redefine success on their own terms.

Over the past six months, WE Enable has gone beyond traditional learning. Students engaged in industry immersions, mentorship programmes and skill-based training, gaining exposure to real-world challenges and opportunities. The initiative created a platform for young women to transform ideas into impactful solutions, positioning them as future leaders and innovators.

The success of the programme was made possible through collaborations with leading organisations, including Micron, Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning, Novartis, Vivifi, Forge Alumnus, Nations Benefits, Wadhwani Foundation and Pifinity Foundation. These partnerships provided students with access to cutting-edge technologies, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities, bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Reflecting on the achievement, Sita Pallacholla, CEO of WE Hub, said, “The graduation of WE Enable’s first cohort marks the beginning of a larger movement. Our mission is to create pathways for women to participate, lead, and thrive in every sector. This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration and vision.”