Hyderabad, May 19, 2025 – The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri Revanth Reddy, unveiled the WE Hub – Women Acceleration and Grassroot Youth Innovation Program in a grand ceremony held on Saturday at JRC Convention Centre, Jubilee Hills.
The launch took place in the presence of key dignitaries including Shri K. Raghuveer Reddy, MP, Nalgonda; Shri Revuri Prakash Reddy, MLA, Parkal; Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Speical Chief Secretary, IT & EC; Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS, CEO, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP); Dr. D.G. Malsur, Director of Industries; and Ms. Sita Pallacholla, CEO, WE Hub Foundation. Also present were DRDOs, APMs, and DPMs from Rangareddy, Sangareddy, Medak, Siddipet, Warangal, Hanumakonda, Nalgonda, Mulugu, and Hyderabad.
Telangana aims to make 1 Crore women crorepatis under WE Hub Programme said CM Revanth Reddy. Reaffirming his government’s commitment to women’s empowerment, Telangana Chief Minister Shri A. Revanth Reddy announced an ambitious vision: to transform one crore women into crorepatis under the WE Hub Women Acceleration Programme, aiming to propel Telangana toward becoming a $1 trillion economy.
Speaking at the inauguration of the programme in Hyderabad, the Chief Minister highlighted a series of women-centric initiatives already launched by the state, including:
• Free travel for women in TSRTC buses
• LPG cylinders at ₹500 for female-headed households
• Amma Model Schools handed over to women management groups
• Women-run petrol bunks
• Stitching of 65 lakh school uniforms by women’s groups
• Expansion of SERP (Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty) to cover 1 crore members
Shri Revanth Reddy praised the financial discipline and responsibility demonstrated by women, noting that “funds given to women are returned with interest.” He further urged officials to initiate a special drive to form more urban Self-Help Groups (SHGs), as urban women’s participation currently lags behind that of rural counterparts.
Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary, IT&EC, emphasized Telangana’s commitment to innovation in the entrepreneurial space. He announced the launch of Mini We-Hubs in rural areas, 17 MoUs and confirmed the allocation of 10% of plots in all 5 upcoming MSME parks exclusively for women entrepreneurs.
He also revealed plans for flatted factory complexes across all 119 constituencies, aimed at providing plug-and-play infrastructure for women entrepreneurs, especially SHG members transitioning to MSMEs. “We aim to complete 25 flatted factories in the initial phase,” he said.
Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS, CEO of SERP, elaborated on the Indira Mahila Shakti programme, and the scheme alignment with WE Hub programs.
“Innovation begins at home said WE Hub CEO Ms. Sita Pallacholla. In her opening remarks, Ms. Sita Pallacholla, CEO of WE Hub Foundation, said: “Districts are the new centers of innovation. Change doesn’t start in boardrooms — it starts in a home, a hamlet, a hope. A woman who turns her kitchen into a unit or a young girl in Basara who dares to code beyond her syllabus — these are the real architects of transformation.”
She announced that 140 women-led MSMEs will receive acceleration support under the programme. “More importantly,” she said, “each of them will leave knowing they are not alone.
Women Acceleration Program is a unique initiative aims to empower 140 women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by accelerating growth, strengthening entrepreneurial capacities, and integrating them into the broader economic ecosystem. The program, launched under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme, will reach over 5,000 women and accelerate 140 MSMEs.
The Chief Minister also launched five District Centers of Excellence at Vikarabad, Peddapalli, Hanumakonda, Warangal, and Nalgonda. These centers are envisioned as regional hubs for innovation, incubation, and training. They will provide women entrepreneurs with access to resources, expert guidance, and infrastructure to foster business growth. The expected outcomes include: 600+ outreach, 500 women to be skilled, 800 to be onboarded onto pre-incubation program, 100 MSMEs to be grounded through 250 incubation participants.
Focusing on youth development, iLEAP was launched to equip students with academic and professional skills, including access to digital tools, innovation, and critical thinking. *Campuspreneur* is designed to foster entrepreneurship among students, providing platforms for ideation and startup experimentation.
Key targets include: Outreach to 6,000+ students; 4,000 students to be sensitized, 1,500 onboarded into iLEAP and 500 onboarded into Campuspreneur
During the program it was announced that Himachal Pradesh is in agreement for a collaboration with WE Hub, the Telangana government’s incubator dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs. This initiative is part of a broader effort by Himachal Pradesh to strengthen its startup ecosystem. Through these collaborations, Himachal Pradesh aims to replicate successful models from Telangana to empower women entrepreneurs and foster innovation within the state.
As part of the WE Hub launch event, 17 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged with strategic partners from across sectors, including ecosystem enablers, industry bodies, corporate partners, and academic institutions. These MoUs include both financial and non-financial collaborations designed to foster mentorship access, cross-sectoral engagement, resource sharing, and global exposure—key pillars for the success of women entrepreneurs and youth participants.
These partnerships span a diverse range—from institutions like the National Stock Exchange, Ag Hub, RGKUT Basara, and NIFT, to corporate giants like HP and academic powerhouses like IIM Calcutta.
Highlights of the MoUs:
• National Stock Exchange (NSE): For financial literacy and skilling programs tailored for women-led MSMEs.
• Ag Hub: To support women entrepreneurs in agri-businesses, particularly in millet-based food processing ventures.
• TRD Studios:To assist women entrepreneurs with design, branding, and marketing strategies.
• HP Packaging: To provide packaging, printing, and branding solutions to help women-led enterprises enhance product quality and market appeal.
• ICONIYA: Will offer business mentoring and capacity building through its network of experts and corporate women leaders. • Swasha (Nirmaan Foundation):
Will connect women entrepreneurs to e-commerce markets free of charge, waiving listing fees, commissions, and platform usage costs.
• HYSEA (Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association): Will facilitate market access for products by connecting women entrepreneurs with its vast corporate membership network.
• NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology): To support handloom artisans with design upgradation and innovation.
Strategic Financial Partnerships:
• IIM Calcutta: Will mentor participants of the Women Acceleration Program, offering deep insights and guidance to enhance business performance.
• HP: Will set up a WE Hub Center of Excellence (CoE) in Peddapalli, strengthening the regional innovation and incubation ecosystem.
Youth-Focused Partnerships for iLEAP and Campuspreneur Programs:
• 1M1B (One Million for One Billion): Onboarded as a knowledge partner to provide global exposure for student projects under iLEAP and Campuspreneur.
• RGUKT, Basara: Will host a WE Hub Incubation Center and offer entrepreneurial and skill development programs for its students.
• GITAM University: Will integrate iLEAP and Campuspreneur programs into its curriculum and offer tech development support to women entrepreneurs and students.
• Tara Degree College, Govt. Degree College Peddapalli, Govt. Degree College Godavarikhani, and Mother Teresa Engineering College (Peddapalli):
will be engaged as campus partners to implement WE Hub’s student-centric programs for innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
These collaborations underscore WE Hub’s commitment to building a robust, inclusive, and innovation-driven ecosystem for women and youth in Telangana.
WE Hub is India’s first state-led incubator focused exclusively on fostering and promoting women entrepreneurship. It aims to build a supportive ecosystem for women across urban and rural Telangana, helping them start, scale, and sustain their enterprises.
The event saw participation from over 1,000 attendees, including women entrepreneurs, SHG groups, 200 students from Mulugu and Medchal districts, WE Hub team members, ecosystem partners, and government representatives.
“This event marks a transformative step toward inclusive and sustainable development for girl students and women entrepreneurs across Telangana,” said Ms. Sita Pallacholla, CEO, WE Hub Foundation, during her opening remarks.
