Rural women solopreneurs account for nearly 38% of all women entrepreneurs in India and are central to sustaining rural livelihoods. However, much of their work remains informal and unrecognized, limiting their visibility and growth potential. Strengthening collective structures is therefore critical to improving market access, recognition, and long-term sustainability. As digital platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart become increasingly important for business success, many of these women face barriers in effectively navigating the platform economy without adequate support.

Building on earlier efforts to support grassroots women entrepreneurs through aggregated enterprises, the AI training for women entrepreneurs—supported by the AI Opportunity Fund through GAME and AVPN—aims to empower 10,000 rural women entrepreneurs and youth in Nagaland on enhancing digital market access by building capabilities in brand development, digital marketing, supply chain integration, and customer engagement. A recent needs assessment has identified two key priorities: strengthening brand identity through compelling visual and textual storytelling, and enabling access to platform-based economies along with the required skills.

To address these gaps, the program integrates AI-driven skill development with cohort-based training for women’s entrepreneurship collectives, expanding both reach and impact. This approach adds a critical layer of capacity building, enabling participants to apply their learning more effectively, streamline operations, and confidently engage with digital markets.

Over its 12-month duration starting in April 2025, the program has been reaching rural women entrepreneurs, producers, youth, and women-led enterprises through structured learning sessions focused on the adoption of AI tools and knowledge Participants have been introduced to AI fundamentals, including effective prompting using tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini for branding, social media content creation, and WhatsApp Business setup. The training has also supported to indentify government schemes and provided guidance on navigating e-commerce platforms like Amazon. With a strong emphasis on responsible AI use and data protection, the program has been building confidence, strengthening decision-making, and unlocking greater income opportunities—ultimately improving digital market access and driving business growth.