India’s MSME sector — which contributes nearly 30% of GDP and employs over 20 crore people — is the backbone of the country’s economy.
But even within this sector, women ownership remains underleveraged, despite evidence that women-owned enterprises reinvest profits at higher rates than male counterparts — boosting societal outcomes. Government initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) have made credit more accessible, authorizing over 51 crore loans worth ₹32.61 lakh crore since inception — but barriers remain for scaling beyond microcredit.
Experts often describe this as the “Missing Middle Problem” — enterprises too big for microcredit but too small for formal business loans.
This is where ecosystems need platforms that combine mentoring, exposure, and market linkages — not just capital — to unlock real growth. Dhanotsav is one such model that highlights entrepreneurial readiness before capital — making partnerships with brands and CSR teams more meaningful.
SOURCE - The Week, The Indian Express