Reliable statistics on Women entrepreneurship in Asia, especially in technology, are hard to come by. In the United States, for example, just 30% of jobs in technology are held by women and just 10% of founders and investors are female. By any reasonable estimation, these proportions are much lower in Bangladesh.
As such, it can be difficult for aspiring Women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh to find resources, mentors, and other women engaged in similar activities.
Below is a list of 7 online resources that provide women entrepreneurs with a wealth of information from how to plan, develop, and launch a business, to marketing and fundraising strategy.
A number of the organizations below also offer the opportunity to connect with successful business women, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs from around the world. While the community here in Dhaka might be small and dispersed, the global online community is massive, strong, and growing fast!
Below is a list of 7 online resources that provide women entrepreneurs with a wealth of information from how to plan, develop, and launch a business, to marketing and fundraising strategy.
Women 2.0 is a social networking platform and community for women in technology. Their mission is to address the underrepresentation of women in start-ups, technology, and finance by hosting a variety of online and in-person events. These include a twice-annual conference and pitch-competition, online investor hangouts, physical meet-ups in cities around the world, a blog with original articles, videos, and interviews. Visit their website to sign up for newsletters, get access to insightful content, participate in live chats, or search for jobs. Note that there are not yet any physical hang-outs happening in South Asia.
2. Young Female Entrepreneurs -
Young Female Entrepreneurs is a platform for women in business to connect with one another, get support and advice, and hear from successful young female entrepreneurs. The core feature of YFE is the weekly #YFEChat Live that blends curriculum questions like “What is Venture Capital?” and “How can I support other young female entrepreneurs?” with live feedback and conversations between viewers via twitter. Young Female Entrepreneurs is a GREAT website for female entrepreneurs in Bangladesh because it allows you to meet, build relationships with, and learn from other entrepreneurs all over the world in real time.
Reliable statistics on female entrepreneurship in Asia, especially in technology, are hard to come by. In the United States, for example, just 30% of jobs in technology are held by women and just 10% of founders and investors are female. By any reasonable estimation, these proportions are much lower in Bangladesh.
3. Astia -
Astia is a platform connecting promising female-led businesses to a network of industry experts, successful entrepreneurs, and serious investors. Businesses selected by Astia are put through a 6-level “Expert Sift” and the businesses with the most potential for “supernova” growth is given access to a host of incredible resources. Applications for businesses, experts, and investors can be found on their website.
The Ladies Who Launch website has a variety of resources specifically designed to help women start a business, promote a business, and network with other female entrepreneurs around the world. Some highlights include templates for important documents including business plans and articles of incorporation.
Chic CEO is an online platform for female entrepreneurs offering tips on topics as diverse as finding your big idea, naming your business, and choosing a target market. If you sign up for the 3-day Chic Start program, you will receive homework in your email inbox every day for three days. Exercises are designed to help with business planning, writing a mission statement, creating a website, and understanding your customer.
Startup Princess is a blogging platform for successful business women. Female entrepreneurs share the lessons they have learned in long form. If you are interested, you can even take advantage of private consulting and coaching.
Launched in 1999, Springboard is a non-profit that recruits, educates and supports women-led businesses, providing promising ventures with the opportunity showcase themselves to investors. Springboard has raised more than $6.5 billion in capital to date for 556 portfolio companies, a number of which have gone public, been acquired, or operate profitably across industries as diverse as biotech, consumer products, and financial services. Visit their website to read their blog, get more info on their portfolio companies, or apply to one of their incubators!
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If you are looking for more local support, check out Women Techmakers Bangladesh or Bangladeshi Online Women Entrepreneurs on Facebook.
[su_note note_color="#2d5f83" text_color="#ffffff" radius="11"]Authors Bio[/su_note]
Alyssa Ransbury: After receiving an undergraduate degree from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, Alyssa was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study and teach in Dhaka. Now, serving as Head of Operations at G&R-Bangladesh’s first and largest online ad network and as an analyst at Inflection Ventures, Alyssa works to support local websites, tech companies, and the Internet ecosystem as a whole.
Eddie Bearnot: Eddie Bearnot is currently serving as Director of Operations at Direct Fresh- Bangladesh’s first online luxury grocery store and wholesale supplier. Prior of working with Direct Fresh, Eddie worked at Innovations for Poverty Action as a Project Associate and at World Policy Journal as Contributing Author. Eddie is passionate about startups, technology and community and is actively involved with startup community in Dhaka.
Credits: Image by Steve Wilson
