Driving Inclusive Growth: IIMs and Goldman Sachs Expand the “10,000 Women” Initiative

In a move that underscores India’s long-term vision for inclusive growth under Viksit Bharat 2047, Goldman Sachs has announced an expanded collaboration with two of the country’s premier business schools — the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow and IIM Ahmedabad. The initiative is aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs by offering them access to education, mentorship, business networks, and opportunities for growth.

Expanding the “10,000 Women” Program

Goldman Sachs’ global initiative, 10,000 Women, is designed to equip women entrepreneurs with critical skills to scale their businesses. The program, already active through IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL, has helped thousands of women across the country. With IIM Lucknow and IIM Ahmedabad joining hands, the initiative is set to train and support many more women entrepreneurs in the coming decade.

Currently, the program has trained around 3,800 women in India. The new expansion aims to increase this number to 10,000 by 2033, with 1,000 women expected to graduate from the program within the next year itself.

Role of IIM Lucknow and IIM Ahmedabad

IIM Lucknow

The Enterprise Incubation Centre at IIM Lucknow will provide training, mentorship, and incubation support for budding women entrepreneurs. This collaboration will help participants strengthen their businesses with structured learning and access to industry experts.

IIM Ahmedabad

IIM Ahmedabad will bring its academic excellence and strong entrepreneurial ecosystem to the initiative. By offering business knowledge, mentoring, and professional networks, the institution will help women entrepreneurs break barriers that often restrict growth.

Voices from the Leaders

• Goldman Sachs India: Sonjoy Chatterjee, Chairman and CEO, highlighted that the program will provide women with tools, mentorship, and networks to grow into leaders who can significantly contribute to India’s economic future.
• IIM Ahmedabad: Director Prof. Bharat Bhasker emphasized that by blending academic knowledge with industry partnerships, the initiative will help women overcome barriers such as limited access to finance and professional connections.
• IIM Lucknow: Prof. M.P. Gupta added that encouraging women entrepreneurs is not just about individual success — it creates ripple effects that inspire future generations and strengthen communities.

Why This Matters

Women entrepreneurs in India continue to face challenges like restricted access to funding, limited professional networks, and inadequate business mentoring. This partnership directly addresses those gaps by offering structured education and stronger support systems.

Research from Goldman Sachs also points out that India has a unique demographic advantage for the next two decades. To fully utilize this opportunity, the country must boost women’s participation in the workforce and increase the number of women-led enterprises.

Looking Ahead

The collaboration between Goldman Sachs, IIM Lucknow, and IIM Ahmedabad is expected to:

• Expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs across India.
• Create stronger mentorship and peer learning networks.
• Bridge the gap between talent and access to capital.
• Build sustainable women-led enterprises that align with India’s development goals.

By focusing on women entrepreneurs today, this initiative aims to make them central drivers of India’s growth story under Viksit Bharat 2047.