U.S. Consul-General Larson launches Academy for Women Entrepreneurs programme at Tirupati

TIRUPATI: U.S. Consul-General Jennifer Larson paid her first visit to Tirupati, where she officially launched the U.S. Consulate's Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) at Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam University (SPMVV).

AWE is a multi-month program funded by the U.S. Consulate which would provide female entrepreneurs with the skills they need to formalize and grow their businesses. A total of 100 women would participate in the program, with cohorts of 25 women each in Tirupati, Warangal, Vishakhapatnam, and Bhubaneswar.

SPMVV and its incubators would be providing space for in-person facilitation and training sessions, as well as lending staff to help lead the in-person training sessions.

"Advancing women’s entrepreneurship and the role of women in the formal economy in India is one of the U.S. Government’s top priorities. AWE has a strong history of sparking and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit across the globe, and I know it will have a hugely beneficial impact for women here in Tirupati and across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha,” said Consul General Larson at the launch event in Tirupati.

AWE blends the online learning platform Dream Builder with localised in-class discussion, coaching, and engagement with local business leaders and US experts to impart key business skills such as strategic planning, marketing, and financial management. The programme would run from August through December, culminating in a multi-day capstone event for all participants in Bhubaneshwar.

SPMVV is one of several partners who have teamed up with the U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad to help implement the AWE program. Other partners include the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) in Vishakhapatnam, Vaagdevi Incubation and Business Accelerator (VIBA) in Warangal, and the Kalinga Institute of Information Technology—Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI) in Bhubaneshwar.

This was Consul General Larson’s first visit to Tirupati, which also included a visit to Sri City, where she met with its promoters and engaged with local U.S. companies. While in Tirupati, Consul General Larson toured the Amara Raja Batteries plant and met with representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industry and Indus Gene Expressions Limited. Consul General Larson also had the privilege of visiting the world-famous Hindu temple of Sri Venkateswara Swamy atop Tirumala Hill.