National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) Bags ‘IWFCI-INDIA AWARD’

~Recognized for its pioneering spirit and outstanding contribution in creating institutional capacity by designing high-impact entrepreneurship programs on campus~

Mumbai, October 31, 2015: National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN), the flagship initiative of Wadhwani Foundation was conferred the ‘IWFCI – India Award’ during a gilttering valedictory ceremony at “Global Women Investors, Entrepreneurs & Policy Influencers – Summit 2015” in the presence of business leaders, international delegates and media at The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore. Sashi Chimala, Executive Vice President –National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) and Sunita Singh, Co-founder-NEN and Executive Vice President - Wadhwani foundation received the award on behalf of the NEN team.

The aim of the summit was to understand the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs to scale­up and globalize and provide a white paper to the government for enabling policy makers to take the right decision􀁺 in terms of support, subsidies and schemes and encouraging women entrepreneurs to graduate from Micro Enterprises to Small and Medium Enterprises. Encouraging the attendees by their presence were the dynamic Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, N.A Haris and Sudhakar Rao, former Chief Secretary of Karnataka.

On receiving the award, an elated Sashi Chimala, Executive Vice President –National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) said, “It is gratifying to see the decade old hard work of NEN team being recognized. The NEN team has over the years worked tirlelessly and has shown immense passion in creating a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. NEN has successfully connected beneficiaries [students, aspiring entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs] to its support services and programs that are learning based, network oriented and transactional in nature. Our vision is to create many silicon valleys in India and we will continue to work towards fructification of this paradigm shift. ”

National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) was co-founded in 2003 with IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad, BITS Pilani, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology. The award recognized NEN’s outstanding contribution in creating and supporting high growth entrepreneurs, and driving entrepreneurship as a catalyst for high value job-creation and economic growth in India.

Over the last decade, NEN has championed the cause of entrepreneurship by establishing advanced curriculum at over 500 colleges and by setting up a national network of mentors that continue to inspire, educate and support emerging, high-growth entrepreneurs. Since inception, NEN has resulted in the creation of hundreds of sustained startups, and thousands of direct and indirect jobs. NEN has also built national platforms that showcase, reward and celebrate entrepreneurship.

About Wadhwani Foundation:

Wadhwani Foundation’s primary mission is accelerating economic development in emerging economies through large-scale job creation. Five Initiatives driving innovation, entrepreneurship and skill development cater to this mission. The Foundation is present in India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Malaysia, and has plans to expand to other countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.

National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) inspires, educates and supports student entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs for creating high-value jobs.

Skills Development Network (SDN) provides vocational training support to educational and training institutes, and employers for entry-level mid-skill jobs through a video based online platform.

Opportunity Network for Disabled (OND) mainstreams the educated disabled into sustainable high quality corporate jobs through a business value proposition.

Research and Innovation Network (RIN) aims to create a world-class innovation ecosystem in India with the goal of propelling India towardsthe top ten innovative nations in the world.

Policy Research Centre provides data driven research inputs for informed policy action towards accelerating economic growth. The initiative has also established a chair in U.S-India policy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, D.C.

For more details on National Entrepreneurship Network, visit: http://www.nenglobal.org/.