India has an estimated 14.9 million women-owned enterprises, which hold the promise of job creation and improved agency for the country’s working-age female population. While positive spillover effects of these women-led businesses have been documented, women own only 20.4% of the micro, small and medium enterprises in India.

Understanding the social interactions between women entrepreneurs and their business ecosystem, and how these interactions intersect with their social and economic backgrounds, can shed light on the gender-specific issues in the field of entrepreneurship and ultimately help in shaping policy that aims to boost women’s entrepreneurship. This research brief presents findings from an exploratory study conducted by LEAD at Krea University, in Telangana, as a part of its Solutions for Transformative Rural Enterprises and Empowerment (STREE) program.