UNCTAD Empretec Women In Business Award, 2016

United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD) Empretec Women in Business Award, 2016, has for the first time named an Indian Woman Entrepreneur as Finalist. Dr Vinaya Shetty, Founder & President of VIN Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd., was named among the 12 finalists for the Empretec Women in Business Award, 2016. Twelve finalists were selected for this

award by an UNCTAD panel of experts based on the nominees showing innovation, leadership and impact in their communities. The prestigious UNCTAD Empretec Women in Business Award, celebrates exceptional women entrepreneurs who have benefited from  UNCTAD’s Empretec training programme. For the first time, an Indian woman entrepreneur has been nominated for this award.

Arnab Chakrabortty, National Director at UNCTAD-Empretec Programme for India said, “It is indeed a proud moment for India to have a finalist for the prestigious awards. Efforts of an Indian woman entrepreneur—and one many aspiring women entrepreneurs can relate to—are being recognized. I am confident that this will inspire women in our country to set up businesses and contribute to their communities”.

Empretec is the flagship capacity-building program of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), coordinated from Geneva, Switzerland, by the Enterprise Branch of the Division on Investment and Enterprise.

“ The nomination is indeed a honor and very humbling, as there has been some incredible work done by women across the World amidst tremendous challenges. UNCTAD’s efforts in encouraging women entrepreneurs is commendable and I hope Indian women optimize the opportunity of the Empretec methodology being made available in India”, Dr.Vinaya said.

The Empretec Women in Business Award (E-WBA) is awarded to women who have benefited from the business development services of the Empretec programme – a pioneering UNCTAD programme for the promotion of entrepreneurship that operates in 37 developing countries.  In line with the theme of this year’s World Investment Forum, the E-WBA will focus on the crucial role that women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment contribute to the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals agenda.

Empretec was launched in Argentina in 1998 and since then has expanded to 37 countries across the developing world. In cooperation with local counterparts, the program has assisted over 500,000 entrepreneurs through local market-driven Empretec centres. The main beneficiaries are aspiring entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, small and micro businesses (including local small suppliers), young people and employees of large public and private companies.

More than 50 nominations were submitted by Empretec centers from 23 countries this year. The Empretec Women in Business Award winners will be named on 21 July, 2016 at the World Investment Forum, held during the fourteenth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD14) in Nairobi, Kenya, in July.