Women’s entrepreneurship is vital for bridging gender gaps in economic opportunities and achieving SDG 5 on Gender Equality. In India, women entrepreneurs constitute 13.76% of establishments, primarily micro units and informal enterprises, employing 13.48 million people. Despite their contributions, access to finance remains a significant barrier, with only 1% borrowing from financial institutions and 79% relying on self-financing.

The research undertaken by LEAD as part of its Udyogini initiative explores financial accessibility and growth opportunities for women-led home-based businesses (HBBs), focusing on non-farm cottage industries, particularly in handloom and handicrafts. It examines credit needs, usage patterns, and the stages where financial support is most critical, along with available financing options such as traditional banking, government loans, microfinance, crowdfunding, and personal financing. The study also identifies enterprise and entrepreneur traits that influence business growth while proposing strategies to enhance financial access and foster sustainable development.