• DP World and the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) have launched ‘We Rise – Women Entrepreneurs Reimagining Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprises’, a strategic initiative to support Indian women entrepreneurs in scaling globally.

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

• Backed by DP World’s global logistics network and trade expertise, the initiative forms part of WEP’s broader Award to Reward (ATR) platform, focused on accelerating women’s participation in international trade.

DP World and Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), today announced a joint initiative ‘We Rise -Women Entrepreneurs Reimagining Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprises’ program. This program under the aegis of Award to Reward (ATR) initiative of WEP will help women entrepreneurs in India to scale their businesses globally through trade facilitation, mentorship, and strategic partnerships.

Under this ATR program, women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across India with high growth potential will be identified and mentored to expand globally. Using its global logistics network and trade expertise, DP World will work with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and create designed interventions to help 100 women entrepreneurs improve their export readiness, meet global trade requirements, and build business capacity. As part of the collaboration, selected women entrepreneurs will also get the 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 businesses to connect with international buyers.

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

As part of this effort, WEP and DP World have joined hands to empower product centric women entrepreneurs. With over 90,000+ women entrepreneurs already engaged on the WEP platform, this partnership represents a unique public-private collaboration focused on expanding trade access and unlock opportunities for women businesses to grow exponentially. It reflects DP World’s commitment to inclusive trade by driving overall economic growth through a combination of expertise and ideas, enabled by strategic collaboration.

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

Commenting on the initiative, Rizwan Soomar, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, North Africa & India Subcontinent, DP World said, “At DP World, we are embedding local empowerment into how we shape global trade. The ‘We Rise’ initiative, in collaboration with NITI Aayog, will transform local enterprise by creating opportunities for India’s women entrepreneurs on the international stage.

This partnership reflects our commitment to building an inclusive trade ecosystem. By providing women entrepreneurs with business mentorship and access to trade platforms like Bharat Mart, we are laying the foundation for long-term, inclusive growth that supports both economies and communities.”