Sixty women from across Goa’s food and allied industries will have an opportunity to begin their entrepreneurial journey with the launch of Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari, an ambitious initiative supported by SBI Foundation, the CSR arm of India’s largest bank, the State Bank of India, under their Sashakti vertical, designed to amplify women’s agency and leadership by creating an ecosystem of safety, opportunity, and inclusion with a focus on fostering equality and justice.
The launch of Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari marks a significant milestone in promoting women-led grassroots entrepreneurship in Goa. This year-long empowerment programme, focused on food and allied businesses was officially inaugurated at Kala Academy, Panaji. The event featured a keynote address by celebrated chef Avinash Martins and a panel discussion with prominent voices from Goa’s start-up and culinary ecosystem. Panelists included Parixit Pai Fondekar, Founder of Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts; Asha Arondekar, Chairperson of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries’ Women’s Wing Committee; Varun Chawla, Founder of build3; and D.S. Prashant, CEO of the Startup and IT Promotion Cell, DITEC, Goa.
Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari is being implemented by New Delhi-based SEED (Society for Education, Environment and Development), a nationally recognised corporate social responsibility (CSR) consulting and implementation agency and leverages Mumbai-headquartered Aspire For Her extensive experience as a subject matter expert in a community-driven approach and global partnerships supporting women across employment, entrepreneurship and education.
“Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari reflects our commitment to nurturing inclusive, resilient communities through entrepreneurship,” said Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director, SBI Foundation. “We believe in creating meaningful, lasting impact. With this initiative, we’re investing in the spirit of enterprise that already exists within Goan women. Our role is to support, amplify and help it thrive.
The initiative empowers Goan women on their path to financial independence and business leadership aiming to reach over 1,000 women eventually and equip 60 successful applicants with essential skills, digital tools and market access to start with. Applications for the incubator programme are now open and women food entrepreneurs in Goa including home chefs, bakers, SHG food producers, growers, cloud kitchens and early-stage food brands are invited to apply for the programme.
The programme will roll out in two phases – an incubator programme for early-stage entrepreneurs and an accelerator for high-growth women-led ventures, offering a mix of expert workshops, mentorship and market access. From branding and digital readiness to investor sessions and pitch events, Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari provides a robust roadmap to business success.
“Our goal is not just to train women, but to walk alongside them as they build resilient businesses,” said Romira Roy, Co-Founder of SEED. “We aim to foster a support system that lasts well beyond the duration of the programme.”
“The Goa Sashakti EntrepreNaari initiative represents the start of a movement, not a moment,” said Madhura Das Gupta Sinha, Founder and CEO of Aspire For Her, during the initiative’s launch. “Goan women have the ideas, the grit and the experience. With the right support system, they will lead change.”
Other dignitaries at the event included Rajaram Chavan, Program Head – Health and Women Empowerment at SBI Foundation; Kiran Singh, Assistant Manager, SBI Foundation; Malini Akerkar, Designer and Co-founder of Indigo; Anisha Anand, Founder of Aurum Foods; and Dr. Abdul Razak, In-charge at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India.
The initiative will culminate in a final pitch fest, graduation ceremony and grant distribution in late January 2026, where participants will showcase their ventures, mark their journey and receive seed grants to launch or scale their businesses.
