TiE Hyderabad Launches 7th Edition of TiE Women 2026, Targets 200 Women Founders with Statewide Outreach

Hyderabad: TiE Hyderabad officially launched the 7th edition of TiE Women 2026 during the Women Entrepreneurs’ Special Edition of TiE OpenMic, held at Akan on Friday evening. The initiative aims to significantly expand its reach this year by targeting 200 applicants, double the participation recorded in the previous edition.

Unveiling the TiE Women 2026 poster at the event, Murali Kakarla, President of TiE Hyderabad, announced an ambitious expansion plan, supported by statewide roadshows and regional engagement. He was joined by Ankit Sanjay Shah and other TiE members during the launch.

Addressing the gathering, Murali Kakarla emphasised inclusivity and accessibility for women entrepreneurs, stating that language should not be a barrier to participation. To encourage wider involvement, he announced that special Telugu knowledge-sharing and pitching sessions will be organised for women founders who are more comfortable communicating in Telugu. He also clarified that there is no entry fee to participate in the TiE Women program.

As part of its expanded outreach strategy, TiE Hyderabad will conduct roadshows across Tier-2 cities in Telangana, including Nizamabad, Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, and other regions, to ensure deeper grassroots participation.

To further encourage women founders to join its entrepreneurial network, the TiE Hyderabad Board has announced a 50 percent discount on Associate and Charter Membership fees for women who register on or before March 31, 2026. This limited-time offer will be available only during the month of March.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Ankit Sanjay Shah described TiE Women as a flagship global program, supported by over 60 TiE chapters worldwide, aimed at embracing, engaging, and empowering women entrepreneurs. The program offers mentorship, investor connections, networking opportunities, and structured entrepreneurial development. Each participating chapter selects one woman entrepreneur to represent it at the Global Pitch Competition, scheduled to be held later this year in Jaipur.

Highlighting the program’s impact, Murali Kakarla noted that last year’s TiE Women Hyderabad winner, Sowmya Darapaneni, Founder of Avinya Neurotech, was featured on the prestigious TiE50 and TGS100 global lists of promising startups.

To date, TiE Women Hyderabad has engaged over 600 women entrepreneurs and facilitated more than USD 352,000 in equity-free grants, underscoring its tangible contribution to strengthening the startup ecosystem in Telangana.

Adding to this, Shanthala Veigas, Senior Director at TiE Hyderabad, said the program is building on the success of last year’s Nizamabad roadshow. Supported earlier by the KOTAS Foundation, the initiative received 103 applications last year, and with enhanced statewide outreach this year, it aims to significantly widen participation.

The launch event brought together entrepreneurs, aspiring founders, investors, and ecosystem enablers, creating a vibrant platform for networking, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas. As part of the Women Entrepreneurs’ Special Edition of TiE OpenMic, seven women founders shared their entrepreneurial journeys, challenges, lessons learned, strengths, and areas of growth, with participation from more than 200 aspiring entrepreneurs.

With the launch of TiE Women 2026, TiE Hyderabad reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women founders across Telangana by enabling access to mentorship, global exposure, and growth opportunities, while strengthening their role in shaping the region’s entrepreneurial landscape.