In 2017, Amazon unveiled Amazon Saheli, a specialized initiative aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs across India.
This program not only highlights locally crafted products from female entrepreneurs but also paves the way for their success as sellers on Amazon.
Amazon Saheli is an all-encompassing initiative that equips women-led enterprises with exposure to millions of customers via the Amazon. in platform. The program encompasses dedicated business support and training during the initial stages of onboarding.
What Amazon Saheli Offers
The Saheli storefront features an extensive array of products, spanning from artisanal office supplies and home décor to fashion items, jewelry, lifestyle commodities, innovative home appliances, and gourmet snacks.
Every participant in the Saheli program benefits from thorough onboarding assistance. Training workshops instruct sellers on managing their businesses on Amazon. in, encompassing everything from inventory management to the provision of exceptional customer experiences.
Each seller is paired with a dedicated account manager, ensuring personalized guidance as they navigate the e-commerce landscape.
The program transcends fundamental support, offering assistance in product photography, cataloging, and insights into analytical tools and business reports that empower sellers to make informed, data-driven choices.
Through Amazon Saheli, female entrepreneurs can concentrate on creativity, innovation, and brand development.
The Power of Strategic Collaborations
The success of Amazon Saheli is not isolated; it flourishes through strategic partnerships with organizations that share a commitment to creating economic opportunities for women throughout India. These collaborations are vital, as they offer grassroots reach, community trust, and specialized expertise.
While Amazon furnishes the digital infrastructure and market access, partner organizations contribute valuable community connections, local insights, and established frameworks for women’s empowerment.
This collective approach ensures the program touches women in even the most remote regions of India, from rural artisans to urban entrepreneurs.
These collaborating entities continuously identify potential sellers interested in launching online ventures. Amazon subsequently guides them through the onboarding process for the Amazon marketplace, adhering to established procedures on a best-effort basis.
Key collaborations include:
1. Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) operates at the nexus of policy, capital, and ecosystem development to enhance entrepreneurship at scale.
Its partnership with Amazon Saheli focuses on establishing sustainable livelihoods for women entrepreneurs by linking them to essential resources, networks, and market opportunities, while guiding potential sellers to Amazon’s onboarding procedures.
2. National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), a flagship government initiative, organizes rural women into Self Help Groups and offers skill development and livelihood opportunities.
Through this collaboration, Amazon Saheli expands its influence to rural female entrepreneurs organized into collectives, aiding their transition from local markets to national e-commerce platforms.
3. DeAsra specializes in enhancing entrepreneurial capabilities among nascent business owners. Its collaboration with Amazon Saheli centers on nurturing the business acumen and strategic thinking necessary for women entrepreneurs to scale their ventures beyond the startup stage, while also facilitating their onboarding onto the marketplace.
These partnerships, along with alliances with HEN (Her Entrepreneurship Network), NamFAM, and 46 XX, forge a holistic support ecosystem. Each partner contributes unique assets, whether in mentorship, technological solutions, or community mobilization.
Saheli Accelerate: Intensive Support for High-Growth Entrepreneurs
In 2025, Amazon Saheli launched Saheli Accelerate in collaboration with Invest India, an accelerator program crafted for women entrepreneurs poised to elevate their businesses.
This program provides advanced e-commerce training, one-on-one mentorship, access to sophisticated seller tools and analytics, alongside marketing and branding support.
The pilot initiative attracted over 400 applications from women entrepreneurs spanning 14 cities, ultimately selecting 18 participants for its inaugural cohort.
Following the success of this initial group, Saheli Accelerate 2.0 was announced at Smbhav 2025, Amazon’s preeminent event for small and medium enterprises, aimed at supporting 50 women entrepreneurs in 2026—a nearly threefold increase.
The revamped format includes a three-day intensive in-person bootcamp, fostering deeper engagement, peer networking, and hands-on mentorship from industry authorities.
Building a Movement
Amazon Saheli embodies a movement towards economic inclusion and women’s empowerment. By merging marketplace access with strategic partnerships and intensive acceleration programs, Amazon Saheli is cultivating avenues for women entrepreneurs to establish sustainable, scalable businesses.
From artisans in rural locales to entrepreneurs in urban hubs, women throughout India are realizing that their aspirations for entrepreneurial ventures are increasingly attainable.
With the right support, training, and market access, they are constructing brands, generating employment within their communities, and inspiring the next generation of female business leaders.
The path to entrepreneurship is now more accessible than ever, and Amazon Saheli is resolutely committed to accompanying every woman who dares to dream of constructing her own business empire.
Source link: Aboutamazon.in.
