Multinational financial services company Visa has launched a grants program called 'She's Next’ in India to provide networking, mentoring, and funding opportunities to women-led Indian businesses. With the launch, the company has demonstrated its commitment to supporting women-owned businesses and female entrepreneurship in India.

According to the press statement, the grants program will accept applications from women-owned and women-led businesses till August 27, 2023. Following a screening process, the jury will select three small-scale women entrepreneurs who will receive a grant of US$10,000 each.

Commenting on the launch, Sandeep Ghosh, Visa's group country manager for India & South Asia, said, “Visa’s unwavering commitment to supporting the growth of small businesses and women is a part of our mission to enable businesses to thrive. Bringing the She’s Next Grants Program to India, we believe, will strengthen our support for women-led businesses that face barriers to access and opportunity, be it for funding, mentorship or networking."

"By offering financial assistance, we aim to make a significant impact on deserving communities, bring about enduring social change and uplift the communities and people we serve and operate in," Ghosh added.

This comes just after the San Francisco-based company committed US$1 million to United Way Mumbai (UWM) to support women-owned and women-focused businesses across 170 villages in four states, aimed to benefit at least 8,500 women. In 2020, the company launched a grants program in India with IFundWomen to support women entrepreneurs secure funding. In 2021, Visa steered with NASSCOM Foundation to enable digital and financial literacy among 650 women micro-entrepreneurs in rural areas.