TREC-STEP teams up with online platform to showcase local women entrepreneurs

Budding businesswomen engaged in producing ecologically sustainable products got an opportunity to improve their visibility, thanks to a programme launched by Tiruchi Regional Engineering College – Science and Technology Entrepreneurs (TREC-STEP) in collaboration with online platform Maheela Power recently.

“The biggest mistake of women entrepreneurs is that they don’t go to the market, but expect customers to approach them. Since this is not practical, we felt that helping them go online will be the easiest way to expand their market reach,” Bindu Balakrishnan, assistant general manager, TREC-STEP, told The Hindu.

Maheela Power is an online platform that enables women to sell handmade delicacies, accessories, and apparel across the country.

The workshop, organised in Tiruchi under TREC-STEP’s European Union (EU) – Gender Enabling Network of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GENIE) project, imparted training on product branding, photography, cataloguing, and packaging essentials, to 45 women entrepreneurs from Tiruchi district.

A total of 15 women entrepreneurs and their products were photographed, accompanied by one-minute profile videos.

Siva Subramanian, founder director, SAS Strategies First, conducted a special session on packaging. Participating firms held an exhibition of their products.

“From the 15 entrepreneurs, two were selected directly to be listed on the Maheela Power website; some of the others in this group have been invited to participate in the platform’s exhibition to be held in Chennai in July,” said Ms. Balakrishnan.

TREC-STEP’s collaboration with Maheela Power is expected to give a wider exposure to small ventures run by local businesswomen. “This partnership is exploring opportunities in large retail stores in Chennai and other areas to promote the women climate ventures’ products such as doormats produced from textile waste,” said a statement.