Fast-Track Your Female-Led Startup to Scale & Impact
Women Cohort
A 12-week accelerator built exclusively for women founders – build traction, refine strategy, access funding & scale with purpose.
Captive India Market with 200 Crore Funding
Accelerating Ventures towards Guaranteed Investors Access.
Woman Cohort Dates
Application Start Date
20th October 2025
Application Closing Date
31st January 2026
Pitch for Selected Startups
6th and 7th February 2026
Result Announcement
11th February 2026
Payment End Date
21st February 2026
Inauguration Date
26th February 2026
Introduction session
27th February 2026
Session Start Date
2nd March 2026
Apply Now For Women Cohort Registration
Join a community of ambitious women change makers. Get hands-on mentorship, investor access, and a growth engine built for you.
Program Overview
About Women Cohort:
What is Women Cohort?
Women Cohort is a 12-week, sector-agnostic accelerator specially designed for women founders and female-led ventures. Whether you’re launching your MVP or looking to scale regionally, Women Cohort provides you with the frameworks, support, community, and capital access you need to break through barriers and scale with confidence.
Who this is for (target audience)?
Women founders with early-stage ventures, preferably with some traction on Scaling. Must be committed to growth, ready to learn, and open to feedback. (You may define eligibility criteria in more detail below.)
Why a women-exclusive cohort?
- Create a safe, empowering space to speak, experiment, and lead
- Address gender-specific challenges: investor bias, work–life dynamics, network gaps
- Leverage role models, shared stories, peer learning
- Tailored sessions on leadership, negotiation, women’s health & founding
Why Choose us
Empowering Women, Accelerating Growth.
We’re not just accelerating start-up’s – we’re building a movement of women change makers.
Powerful Mentor Network
Learn from successful women leaders, industry veterans, and ecosystem experts who’ve walked the path before you.
Tailored for Women Founders
Unlike generic accelerators, we focus on the unique challenges women entrepreneurs face-from funding bias to balancing growth with leadership.
Access to Funding & Investors
Direct exposure to women-focused VCs, angel networks, and corporate investors who are eager to back women-led ventures.
Holistic Growth Approach
Beyond business strategies, we nurture leadership, confidence, and negotiation skills - the essentials for scaling with impact.
Visibility and Recognition
Showcase your venture on Demo Day, media channels, and partner networks, giving you the spotlight you deserve.
Learn, Pitch, Connect, Grow
Exclusive Startup Program Highlights
Women Shaping Growth
Women-Centric Accelerator
A dedicated program built to empower women founders with the right ecosystem, mentors, and tools to scale.
Power Your Pitch
Investor-Ready Pitch Prep
Step-by-step guidance to craft a powerful pitch deck and present confidently to investors.
Expert-Led Growth
One-on-One Mentorship
Get personalized mentoring from women leaders, industry experts, and successful entrepreneurs.
Strategic Market Reach
Market Access & Growth
Expand your reach through curated connections, networking opportunities, and go-to-market strategies.
Scale with Skills
Business Fundamentals and Scale-Up
Workshops on financial modeling, fundraising, team building, marketing, and operations.
What we offer
Why Join the iPreneur Accelerator?
Investor-Ready Preparation
Receive comprehensive support in legal, financial, and operational readiness, ensuring your
Valuation & Financial Guidance
Build credible financial models and understand your startup’s valuation, empowering confident negotiations with investors.
Optimized Business Models
Design sustainable and scalable business models that appeal to investors and support long-term growth.
Phase-Wise Growth Support
From MVP validation to go-to-market strategies and investor pitching, receive structured guidance at every stage of your startup journey.
Access to a Strong Founder Ecosystem
Connect with mentors, investors, and fellow women founders across sectors to expand your network and accelerate your impact.
Facilitated Investment Opportunities
Through partnerships with SEBI-registered VC funds, benefit from tranche-based investment facilitation, ensuring timely capital deployment to your venture.
Simple Steps to Join Our Startup Accelerator
Application Process
1. Once we receive the applications, a thorough screening process will commence to select the most suitable startups that match our program’s criteria.
2. The review will be comprehensive and consider a range of factors, including the startup’s business model, market potential, team, and alignment with our program’s goals.
3. The selection pitch is an opportunity for each startup to showcase their strengths and demonstrate how they align with our program’s objectives.
4. During this stage, our panel of experts will evaluate each startup and make a final determination of which ones will be selected for the program.
5. The deadline for applications for each cohort is strictly enforced, and we advise all interested startups to submit their applications as early as possible.
6. This is because we have limited seats available, and we evaluate each application carefully and thoroughly before making a final decision.
Selection Process
1. A startup must demonstrate revenue generation while being operational for at least six months, showcasing its ability to monetize products or services effectively and ensuring sustainability.
2. The startup should present a validated proof of concept, proving the feasibility of its idea through initial user feedback and pilot studies, demonstrating product-market fit.
3. Startups applying must be registered as either a Private Limited Company under The Companies Act, 2013, or as a Registered Partnership Firm under The Indian Partnership Act, 1932 for eligibility.
4. Startups may also register as a Limited Liability Partnership under The Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008, or any other permissible structure as permitted by Government of India regulations.
5. A successful launch of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is required, featuring essential functions that satisfy early adopters and enable user feedback for further development.
6. The startup must obtain DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) registration, reflecting compliance and eligibility for government incentives, thereby enhancing credibility among stakeholders.
7. The startup should show significant growth potential, aiming for scalability of 2x to 10x, reflecting opportunities for increased revenue and attracting investments for expansion.
8. A strong and committed founding team with complementary skills and experience is essential for navigating the challenges of the startup ecosystem and achieving success within the Accelerator Program.
Unified Success Partnerships
Strategic Partnership & Collaborators
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers to commonly asked questions about Woman Cohort program structure, eligibility, registration process, participation benefits, important dates, and key support resources for participants.
The program is designed for women founders or majority women-led teams running growth-stage startups. Applicants should have a validated product or service and a clear growth plan.
There is no strict revenue threshold, but preference will be given to ventures with some traction and revenue generating, ensuring participants can fully benefit from the program.
No. The Women Cohort helps founders become investor-ready. Participants receive mentorship, workshops, and hands-on guidance to refine business models, financials, and pitch decks.
Yes. The program facilitates tranche-based investments through partner investors and VC funds, subject to milestone completion and due diligence.
No. The Women Cohort is sector-agnostic and accepts startups across industries, including tech, consumer, health, social impact, and more.
Participants can access equity funding, grants, or seed investments, tailored to the startup’s stage, valuation, and growth potential.
Yes. The fee ensures participation of serious and committed founders. It covers mentorship, workshops, investor access, and program resources:
- Level 1: ₹1 lakh (+18% GST) for startups seeking funding up to $250K
- Level 2: ₹6 lakh (+18% GST) for startups seeking funding between $250K-$2Mn
- Level 3: ₹12.5 lakh (+18% GST) for startups seeking funding above $2Mn
Submit your application via the online form on the iPreneur website, providing business details, team information, and a pitch deck (if available).
The Women Cohort is a 12-week program, structured in three phases:
- Phase 1: Business Validation & MVP Refinement
- Phase 2: Go-to-Market Strategy & Growth
- Phase 3: Investor Readiness & Demo Day
No. While some in-person sessions may take place in Bengaluru, remote participation is available to accommodate founders from other locations