WE Start 
Cohort 2
A 3 month Pre-Incubation Program  for Women Entrepreneurs
Focused on Ideation to MVP stage startups
Timeline
06 June 2024
Registrations Open
23 July 2024
Kick off Event
To be announced
Graduation Day
Need
Only 18% of startups are founded by women and less than 20%  of women hold key roles in the Indian startups. This lack of female representation is in contrast with studies that show that women directors in active board roles positively contribute to firms’ financial performances and economic value creation. 
This pre-incubation program offered by KSUM aims to identify strong women innovators and provide them the necessary business fundamentals and tools to   build successful companies.
About the Event
The 3-month pre-incubation  program is designed exclusively for women entrepreneurs to tackle the challenges faced and to gain access to tools and knowledge to run their business ventures. The program offers  10 comprehensive workshops which cover essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey, from business foundations to MVP development and getting your first early believers as customers.. Whether you're just starting with an idea or further along in your business venture, we welcome women entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to join us and embark on the journey to turn your startup dreams into reality.
Key Takeaways

10 Workshops: Basics to Marketable product

Exclusive access to a series of 10 workshops that cover everything from startup basics to building MVP and Marketable product

Networking Opportunities

Connect with a community of like-minded women entrepreneurs, mentors, and potential collaborators through our offline meet-ups .

Exclusive Mentorship to Convert your startup to Next Phase

One to one mentorship by the experts in industry to help you build your venture to the next phase.

Business Tips

Learnings that will help you to take your startup from an idea to a well-structured, growth-oriented business. 

Insights from Industry Experts

Get firsthand insights and live Q & A sessions from industry experts who've been there, done that, and achieved success. 

Resource Materials

Access exclusive event resources, materials, and propel your business to new heights.

WEGROW

Founders participating will be eligible for the paid incubation program, WEGROW by KSUM. 

Sessions at a glance

SESSION 1: FROM SPARK TO STRUCTURE

Transforming ideas into viable concepts

SESSION 2: INNOVATION THROUGH DESIGN THINKING

Creating User-centered solutions through Design Thinking

SESSION 3: LEAN STARTUP MODEL

Build, Measure, Learn: A potential approach for an early stage founder

SESSION 4:  FROM MVP TO MARKET READINESS

Refining the MVP to create a Market ready product

SESSION 5: FINDING YOUR CHAMPIONS

How to Get the First Early Adopters for your MMP

SESSION 6: ITERATION TO EXCELLENCE 

Building the right product through continuous improvement

SESSION 7: PITCH YOUR STORY RIGHT

Mastering the art of pitching and storytelling

SESSION 8: RUNNING A COMPANY 101

Navigating Legal, Compliance and Corporate Governance for Early-Stage Startups

SESSION 9: UNDERSTANDING KSUM STARTUP ECOSYSTEM 

Introduction to various support mechanisms for Early Stage Startups

SESSION 10: UNDERSTANDING FUNDING SCHEMES AND OTHER GOVT SCHEMES

Introduction to various support mechanisms for Early Stage Startups

Speakers
ecommerce

Abid Aboobakker

Founder

Hoomans Co.

ecommerce

Jayshree Patnaik

Asst. Professor

IIT-Hyderabad

ecommerce

Nakul Parameshwar

Asst. Professor

IIT-Hyderabad

ecommerce

Noureen Aysha

Co- Founder & CEO

Femisafe

ecommerce

Pinky Jayaprakash

Chief of Staff to CEO

Moolya

ecommerce

Ishan Mohammed

Founder

Katha - Audible Good News

ecommerce

Poornima Sethumadhavan

Co-founder & COO

SuperHire

ecommerce

Hinshara Habeeb

Co-Founder

Manetain Store

ecommerce

Harikrishnan Vasudevan

Partner

R RAJAN ASSOCIATES
Chartered Accountants

TESTIMONIALS 
COHORT 1 STARTUPS
I am a budding entrepreneur. There are a lot of theoretical classes on entrepreneurship available in Startup India Learning programme as well as NPTEL which anyone can access. However, this program provided practical insights from practicing entrepreneurs for real and common problems faced. Moreover, if online, we could ask our doubts and clear them on the go. Most sessions were food for thought that got us thinking and seeking more rather than a lecture, which was a great approach. I would definitely recommend it to everyone at all stages of entrepreneurship. The people at KSUM are genuinely helpful and want to promote entrepreneurship.

Sarah James

A budding entrepreneur

As a first-time founder, I found the WeStart pre-incubation program invaluable. Their clear focus and well-curated agenda provided a clear roadmap for navigating the startup journey. The program addressed crucial topics with actionable insights from experienced speakers. Highly recommended for early-stage ventures!

Jayashree S

ProfileUP Technologies Pvt Ltd

Attending Kerala Startup Mission's WeStart was an enriching experience filled with engaging discussions, valuable insights, and new networking opportunities. The organization's dedication to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship was evident throughout the event, reflecting their commitment to supporting startups. The discussions were insightful, covering a wide range of topics relevant to budding entrepreneurs. Moreover, I had the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, forming meaningful connections that could potentially lead to future collaborations. I would highly recommend this event to others seeking to dive into the startup ecosystem, as it offers a platform to learn, network, and grow.

Reshma Johnson

Digiliad

Gave a lot of clarity on many areas where i was clueless before. And it's comforting to know that there are mentors and people who can help us at various stages of the start up. Thanks to Kerala startup mission for this opportunity.

Aparna vinod

Vaiga
It was a great opportunity to be a part of We Start.All the Sessions were good and I personally liked Session 2 by Thomson Skariah..His way of explanation was so good. And the interaction in each session was also good. The contribution of each host to this program is also good. Yes definitely I will recommend this to others because it's a good platform for a beginner and also a developing one. Thank you for creating such a good platform for Entrepreneurs especially Women. Looking forward to such opportunities to interact with a lot of people.

Rashidha Sajin

Wexo Ventures Pvt Ltd

WeStart handpicked speakers that were authentic in sharing their experiences for the topics they picked. The cohort found the topic and the journey of the speaker relatable and thus impactful. Can't wait to see what a great program KSUM will create for Incubation

Rose Menachery

Urkidsparty

It was a very well structured and well organized program. The quality of speakers was also great. The content was informative and relevant. The engagement levels were high due to session feedback forms and whatsapp discussion groups. In future a case study based approach can improve the overall learning that participants can gain from the program. Nevertheless kudos to KSUM for putting this brilliant program together.

Atisha Banjare

Growth Advisory

The program is truly beneficial for women founders who are looking forward into the journey of entrepreneurship

Raji p

Rastelx technologies private limited

The WeStart program gave the confidence that we can also start. Would recommend this event to every aspiring entrepreneur as this would give an insight from ideation to execution of a startup.

Athira

Revive

A well curated webinar series for early stage startups, thanks to KSUM.

Chitra

Parihaar

Great thanks to KSUM ,the hosts and speakers of 'We Start' for organizing such an amazing learning programme .

Nisha George

Dibasys Pvt Ltd
FAQ
The "We Start" program welcomes applications from all women entrepreneurs at various stages, including Ideation, testing and validation, prototype development, and MVP development. Startups beyond the product stage are not eligible for this cohort.
No, any startup from any sector can attend this program.
To apply for the "We Start" program, please complete the google form available on our website.
Participation in the "We Start" program is entirely free of charge.
The program consists of 10 online sessions and includes two physical meetups.
Sessions will be held every Friday/ Saturday via Zoom, with each session lasting a maximum of 1.5 hours. The program is scheduled to start from July 10th, 2024.
No, attendance at the physical meetups is optional and entirely at your discretion.
Networking Opportunities: Available for Selected Startups
Exclusive Insights from Industry Experts
Eligibility for the "WE Grow" - Incubation Program for Selected Women Founders
For More Queries