WeScale
Take your business to the next level with an international 12-week program and network.
Part of SARDI, an initiative of USAID
Run by a team of funders and ex-founders, WeScale is a regional program under SARDI designed to help tech focused and tech enabled women entrepreneurs grow their business, raise external funding, and build a network.
Why do Women Entrepreneurs need this program?
Women Entrepreneurs raise less funding than male counterparts. Key barriers for women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses include a lack of funding opportunities, limited network exposure & access to upskilling & learning opportunities. That’s why WePlus was created - to provide opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs to access funding, networks and opportunities to grow regionally and internationally.
The Program
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A 12-week program designed to fast track growth and make women entrepreneurs investor ready and able to navigate new markets and policy.
Each week will feature:
A workshop, masterclass or clinic
Networking sessions with fellow entrepreneurs or mentors and investors.
Tools, modules and videos to work through at your own pace.
Each week will focus on core business areas including:
Storytelling & Pitching
Fundraising, Financing & Raising Investment
Marketing & Branding
Scaling operations, product & growth
Market expansions & deep dive expertise
Government policy & cybersecurity
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Program start: 30 January 2023
Program ends: 12 April 2023
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Face time during live virtual Q&As and networking events with an experienced team of founders, entrepreneurs and a network of partners that have helped entrepreneurs grow their business and raise financing through equity investors, grants and more.
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Access live and on-demand masterclasses and workshops with experts who are entrepreneurs, investors (angels, institutional, grant funding organisations), business executives and more. The masterclasses and workshops cover key pain points for founders including pitching, impact management, sourcing financing and investment, storytelling, impact measurement and government policy.
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The WeScale program network includes SAFAL Partners, India Accelerator, Lankan Angel Network, Bangladesh Angels Network and Accelerating Asia. It also includes SARDI’s network of programs. Each partner brings experience in scaling operations, entrepreneurship, supporting women founders, raising investment and impact measurement. When you join the program, you get access to this full network and bank of expertise and knowledge to support your business.
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Every entrepreneur needs a network because it takes a community to build a solid business. The program connects entrepreneurs to a network of funders and investors, potential clients, fellow entrepreneurs and mentors during networking sessions. All designed to facilitate long term connections so that you, as female founders have a network for present and future growth.
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Run by a group of partners from across the South Asia region with international networks and footprints. Program participants become part of an international network of women entrepreneurs. Our international network gives you a plug and play network to support and fast track your expansion.
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Become a part of the WeScale and partner community with access to a founder and mentor network across 5 countries.
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Access to on-demand toolkits, resources and a library of information to implement real time in your business. From investment paperwork, grant opportunities, pitching and storytelling templates and more.
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Women-led companies that are tech focused or tech enable.
Companies that are preparing to fundraise and raise investment.
Companies with a product (any type of product) in market that is currently used by customers.
Companies that are starting to think about growing regionally and internationally.
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WeScale is part of SARDI by the USAID’s Innovation, and Research (ITR) Hub, Technology Division (ITR/T), implemented in partnership with DAI.
It is been implemented by a network of partners from across Asia. During the program, you will have support from a team of international and regional entrepreneur experts from an international network.
Armin Zaman Khan, Co-Founder, Romoni, Bangladesh
“Entrepreneurship programs helped us to re-evaluate our business model and our 2-3-5 year goals for growth and fundraising”
Arasi Arul, Co-Founder, 60Plus, India
“My journey with 60PlusIndia has been amazing so far. What we do is beyond just making money. Our experience with entrepreneur programs was one of the most informative and educational one.”
FAQs
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WeScale is run by a team of experienced partners who are the entrepreneurship leaders in their ecosystem. The partners have invested in 100+ companies across the region. Each partner brings expertise and knowledge to the program and a network of investors, partners and mentors to provide you with the skills and support you need as a woman entrepreneur to scale-up.
To date, the partners have delivered over 150 programs to 1500 entrepreneurs and deployed over US$170M in capital.
We have a track record of Gender Lens Investing and running programs for female entrepreneurs.
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No the WeScale Women Entrepreneurs program is free for women owned startups.
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No, this program does not include a direct investment from the program partners at this stage.
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To be eligible to join the program, you need to be a women-owned/led company that is from Bangaldesh, India, Nepal or Sri Lanka.
You should be an early stage small-medium business that has a tech component. We are looking for tech focused or enable enterprises that have a product, customers and are getting ready to fundraise and scale.
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The 12-week, WeScale program is virtual with 20 women entrepreneurs selected for the in person 4 week intensive that will happen in 2023.
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We know you’re working hard on building your business. That’s why this program is designed to deliver tools and knowledge you can implement in real time in your business. Each week we estimate you will still spend 90% of your time on your business - using 2-3 hours to participate in the program.
About SARDI
SARDI propels digital connectivity and economic development in South Asia by strengthening the digital capacity of MSMEs, raising awareness around critical cybersecurity issues, and fostering opportunities for MSMEs and governments to engage on digital and ICT policy issues.
