Business Women Expo 2023, India’s largest platform for businesswomen and entrepreneurs to connect and collaborate with corporate enterprises and trade, was held from 10 March 2023 to 12 March 2023. A three-day event, its purpose is to provide opportunities for women at any stage of their professional journey. The Expo provided equal opportunities to connect with visitors and attendees to all exhibitors; start-ups established businesses or even students who are aspiring entrepreneurs. The Expo aims to drive change and empower women by providing a platform for multi-stakeholder collaboration. To achieve this, they facilitate meetings and networking with decision-makers, and corporate and institutional buyers, initiating dialogue and interactions and also assisting in showcasing products and services to a retail user base. The third edition of the Business Women Expo was held in Hitex, Hyderabad. The theme of the exhibition was ‘More Power to Women”. It showcased 220 exhibitors from 15 states, with over 60 stalls being supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Govt of India. The Expo received support from the Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India, T-HUB, WE-Hub, WEDO, The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the Indian Chamber of Commerce, and many other trade bodies. Actor Amala Akkineni and British Deputy High Commissioner Gareth Wynn Owenn inaugurated the Expo. Nawab Mir Nasir Ali Khan, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan also attended the expo. He later gave away Visionary Women Awards to several distinguished women from across India.
Additionally, Jennifer Larson, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, and Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, launched the 4th Edition of the TiE Women 2023 during the event. This Expo was an exclusive opportunity for innovators, women in unconventional businesses, social entrepreneurs, homeprenuers, student entrepreneurs, small, self-made businesses and businesswomen, and eco-artists to connect, collaborate, and celebrate; all under one roof with stakeholders who have a common objective of creating business opportunities. A highlight of the expo was The Business Women Expo Conference. It acted as a business hub for business leaders, seasoned experts, business owners, entrepreneurs, and key government officials to discuss and identify challenges, brighter opportunities, government benefits, and resources for growth strategies for entrepreneurial ventures. Its sessions emphasized supporting existing businesses, building leadership values in women, discovering opportunities after a career break, launching a new business or franchise, and effectively building a promising career, and included a panel discussion with esteemed members of the business community. There were several stalls of innovative new businesses. Ancient Foods displayed, as the name suggests, ancient foods that were prepared without preservatives, sugar, extra apparatus, or gluten, and were extremely nutritious. They offer healthy millet snack packs and sugar-free millet desserts in different quantities for schools, parents, and children. Kinder Sports showcased Yoga Ball Chairs that aim to ease prolonged seated sessions for people who suffer from chronic issues, such as severe back pain, sciatic nerve pain, and more. AasaanWill had set up a stall to showcase their online Will writing platform. It allows the individual to write their own will and has ensured that this lengthy and confusing process becomes simple for every Indian. Also, there were stalls by Basta and Banka Bio showcasing their reusable bags and compostable garbage bags, respectively. Furthermore, the Women Entrepreneurship Development Organisation (WEDO), a Chennai-based accelerator that focuses exclusively on businesswomen, organized multiple day-long sessions. These included the Art of Raising Capital; Top 10 Legal Know-Hows for Women; Storytelling etc by World Storytelling Championship; Insights on Property Investments, an informative session on the payment gateway “Ippo Pay”, and the launch of the Visionary Women Collective. Concomitantly, ten women entrepreneurs, all from different industries, pitched their ideas to the investors present. These start-ups included MeMeraki.com, Medbuzz, Triolt Energy Pvt Ltd, and Ek Katha Clothing Pvt. Ltd, Comet Labs IT Solutions, Sortizy, PayAid, Second Innings House, Pinaka Innovation Pvt. Ltd, and Rorosaur Foodtech Pvt. Ltd. On the final day, the Expo also conducted I-Run; Hyderabad’s first exclusive women’s run. It was a huge success, with over 1100 women participating in it. The same can be said for the expo as well. It witnessed over 20,000 visitors, an almost 80% jump from the previous year’s expo, with over 250 companies and more than 200 B2B meetings. The Expo provided the perfect platform for women to network and showcase their prowess as leaders of the business industry.
