The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has signed a landmark MoU with UN Women to support women entrepreneurs via public procurement. Their focus: increasing participation of women-led MSMEs in government contracts through targeted procurement initiatives. Under the MoU, UN Women will create training modules, mentoring programs, and validation criteria to help women-led businesses scale and become procurement-ready. GeM, on its part, will organize workshops, vernacular training, and link women entrepreneurs with labs and R&D institutions.

This partnership could significantly change how government contracts are awarded, pushing for a more inclusive and gender-balanced business ecosystem. For many women-led startups and MSMEs, it may open the door to stable, high-value orders and long-term growth.