Jaipur, 27 February: The ‘Women’s International Summit on Entrepreneurship (WISE) 2026’ commenced in Jaipur with a strong message on innovation, leadership and technological preparedness. The two-day international summit is being organised by the Rajasthan Chapter of the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India (COWE) at the Constitution Club of Rajasthan and will continue till 28 February. This year’s theme, “Roots to Wings: Spotlighting Women Entrepreneurs from Grassroots Innovation to Global Leadership,” highlights the journey of women-led enterprises from local impact to global influence.
Addressing the inaugural session via video conference, Former Union Minister of Education Smriti Irani delivered a powerful message on the future of business and technology. “Be future-ready, embrace change and understand technology, but never let it overpower you,” she said. Emphasising the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), she noted that AI-driven transformations are rapidly reshaping industries. Referring to the recent layoff of nearly 4,000 employees at Twitter, she underscored that adapting to technological change is no longer optional but essential for survival and growth.
The summit also witnessed the ‘COWE Excellence Awards’ ceremony, attended by Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje as Chief Guest. She felicitated women entrepreneurs for their outstanding contributions across sectors.
In her address, Vasundhara Raje lauded COWE’s initiative in bringing together women entrepreneurs from across India on one platform. She credited rural women for strengthening the rural economy and highlighted key government initiatives such as Lakhpati Didi, Rajeevika, Aajeevika, Annapurna Milk Scheme and Bhamashah for advancing women’s economic empowerment. Referring to Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data, she stated that women’s workforce participation in rural areas increased from 26 percent in 2018 to 47 percent in 2024, while urban participation has risen to nearly 30 percent. She encouraged women leaders to create pathways that not only fulfil their own ambitions but also expand opportunities for future generations.
Over the two days, entrepreneurs, startup ecosystem partners and industry leaders are engaging in insightful discussions and networking sessions. The session titled ‘Unlocking Capital – Financing Scalable and Impact-Driven Enterprises’ focused on investment readiness, financial clarity and scaling strategies. Meanwhile, ‘AI & Digital Transformation – Crafting Future-Ready Businesses’ highlighted AI as a collaborative enabler that enhances productivity and strategic decision-making rather than replacing human talent.
The session ‘Leading with Impact – Building Resilient Organisations’ emphasised communication, value-driven culture, sustainability and strong stakeholder partnerships as pillars of long-term organisational success.
The summit aims to empower women entrepreneurs, strengthen business networks and enable them to scale globally through innovation and collaboration. Founder Director and Board Chairperson (2025–26) Shylaja Reddy, Founder President of COWE Rajasthan Nidhi Toshniwal, along with women entrepreneurs and national and chapter committee members from across India, are actively participating in the programme.
During the summit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between COWE and Eternal Hospital, Jaipur, marking a significant step towards collaborative initiatives in women-led enterprise and health-related innovation.