Over 30 participants from the second Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program, sponsored by the United States, competed for seed funding for their business startups on October 28.
A panel of judges comprising Pakistani and American businesswomen selected the top four proposals after reviewing participants’ business plans and hearing their pitches.
According to an official press release, the four winners will receive $5,500, $4,500, $3,500, and $2,500 respectively to launch or grow their businesses in Pakistan.
Some 80 female entrepreneurs graduated from the AWE program on September 10 after receiving training and guidance from established Pakistani entrepreneurs. Following completion of the AWE training, participants competed for seed funding to put what they learned into action.
During the closing ceremony, Deputy Counselor for Public Diplomacy Jacqueline Deley congratulated the graduates, saying: “Your success is Pakistan’s success, and we are proud to support you to become Pakistan’s dynamic entrepreneurs, business leaders, and economic influencers”.
AWE is a three-month, rigorous course of online study using the DreamBuilder platform developed by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and the American company Freeport McMoran. AWE is designed to cultivate entrepreneurial know-how, help women entrepreneurs connect with funding opportunities, enhance opportunities for business expansion, and increase the likelihood of entrepreneurial success.
The AWE training for women was held in four of the US Mission’s Lincoln Corners (public event spaces that connect Pakistanis and Americans) in Multan, Muzaffarabad, Khairpur, and Peshawar.
The AWE graduates have joined the Pakistan-US Alumni Network (PUAN) and the global community of US exchange program alumni.
