Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Villgro's Mission for Financial Inclusion As the new financial year begins, Villgro has announced that its innovative financing solutions, developed in collaboration with partner organisations, have enabled 106 women micro-entrepreneurs to secure business loans.

Women entrepreneurs in India face numerous challenges, particularly in accessing financial resources to grow their businesses. Despite their high loan repayment rates, only a small fraction of commercial financing is allocated to women-led enterprises.

Recognising this gap, Villgro, a social enterprise incubator, has been actively working to improve credit access for women micro-entrepreneurs, ensuring they receive the support needed to sustain and expand their businesses.

As the new financial year begins, Villgro has announced that its innovative financing solutions, developed in collaboration with partner organisations, have enabled 106 women micro-entrepreneurs to secure business loans. Many of these women were previously considered "unbankable" due to systemic barriers such as lack of collateral and risk perception. However, through Villgro's initiatives, they have successfully obtained funding, demonstrating strong repayment behavior and contributing to a more inclusive financial ecosystem.

According to the Villgro Beyond the Numbers study, women entrepreneurs receive only 5% of total commercial financing, despite their proven reliability as borrowers. This highlights the urgent need for tailored financial solutions that address the specific challenges women entrepreneurs face. Villgro is taking a proactive approach by introducing alternative funding mechanisms, peer-to-peer lending, and structured credit solutions designed to bridge the gender financing gap.

Vibha Sharma, Lead - Impact Finance at Villgro, stated, "Many women micro-entrepreneurs in India struggle to secure capital, which limits their ability to scale and adopt new technologies. Through innovative credit solutions, we have helped them access the funding they need. The results speak for themselves—women entrepreneurs are bankable, reliable, and play a vital role in fostering economic growth. Our goal is to continue breaking down financial barriers and driving greater financial inclusion."

Key Initiatives by Villgro

Villgro, in collaboration with its ecosystem partners, has launched impactful programs aimed at empowering women-led businesses. Here are two notable initiatives:

1. Affordable Credit for Solar-Powered Enterprises
   Villgro partnered with Ashv Finance to provide financing for DD Solar's solar-powered cooling solutions, targeting women micro-entrepreneurs in the fisheries sector. A First Loss Default Guarantee (FLDG) covered 25% of potential loan losses, unlocking over INR 1 crore in credit funding.

   • Impact:
     • 362 loans disbursed
     • 750 solar refrigeration units sold
     • 44% of loans granted to women
     • Non-performing asset (NPA) rate of just 6%
2. The initiative allowed women to enhance their income by improving fish storage and reducing losses. Encouraged by its success, Ashv Finance has launched a second loan facility with reduced FLDG requirements, further increasing credit accessibility.
3. Peer-to-Peer Lending for Sustainable Livelihoods
   Villgro collaborated with Rang De, a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform, to support farmers—many of whom are women—who struggle to secure traditional loans. Through this initiative, farmers receive low-interest loans to invest in distributed renewable energy (DRE) technologies that boost agricultural productivity. This has empowered many women farmers to generate sustainable income while repaying their loans with ease.

Villgro is a leading social enterprise incubator that supports innovation-driven businesses in healthcare, agribusiness, and climate action. Since 2001, it claims to have supported 323 enterprises, helping them raise INR 4,388 million in investments, create 4,922 jobs, and impact over 20 million lives.

Villgro remains dedicated to expanding financial opportunities for women entrepreneurs by enabling access to credit, promoting business ownership, and advocating for policy changes. By championing financial inclusion, Villgro is not only supporting women-led businesses but also encouraging policymakers, investors, and financial institutions to recognise the economic benefits of funding women entrepreneurs.