Women-Led Businesses

Women VenturesWomen-Led Businesses

Women Ventures is a leading intervention of Karandaaz, designed to support women-led businesses in Pakistan. Its main objective is to enable female entrepreneurs to scale up their businesses in order to strengthen women’s economic participation in Pakistan and facilitate macro-economic development. To achieve this ambition, Women Ventures provides growth capital that is customized to individual business needs, along with business development services, including mentorship, to assist in critical areas of the business.

Women Ventures has evolved out of Karandaaz Women Entrepreneurship Challenge (WEC), which was initiated in 2017. Through the successful delivery of three WEC rounds, Karandaaz has provided technical assistance to over 65 women-led SMEs and invested growth capital in 18 of them. Going forward, Women Ventures will be investing in high potential and high impact women-led businesses throughout the year. Our investment is sector agnostic but subject to evaluation criteria, which is aimed at selecting those women-led businesses that have the ambition to grow and the capacity to strengthen institutional governance. All applications received will be reviewed on the 15th of every month by the WV Investment Committee.

Who Can Apply

  • The business should be owned and managed by a woman. Businesses where more than 50% shareholding is held by a woman and she has a direct role in the management of the business.
  • Women-led and managed business that have been operational for at least 3 years and are looking to scale-up. An operational history of less than 3 years may be considered if the business has earned a revenue of PKR 7.5 million in the last 12 months of its operations.
  • The business should have earned a revenue (sales) of at least PKR 5 million in the last 12 months.
  • The business must have an NTN. The owner(s) should be a Pakistani national and have a CNIC.

Women Ventures is open to all sectors, and applicants may apply from anywhere in Pakistan.

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Process Outline

Women-Led Businesses

Terms & Conditions

  1. If selected, applicants must commit to:
    1. Participating in all components of the program, including a business assessment and business development and strategy support.
    2. Being open to negotiating an investment deal with Karandaaz. The business will have the right to accept or reject the investment offer made by Karandaaz.
    3. Participating in events, documentation and monitoring and evaluation activities as required by Karandaaz.
  2. Submission of an application does not guarantee selection for any part of the program or investment.
  3. The applicant will be selected for the program at the sole discretion of Karandaaz and its partners. Karandaaz retains the right to accept or reject any application without providing a reason.
  4. Decisions of Karandaaz and its partners will be considered final and will not be open to contestation.
View Complete Term Sheet

FAQs

Am I eligible to apply for business development support and funding through Karandaaz Women Ventures?

If you fulfill all the following conditions, you are eligible to apply:

  • You are a woman who owns and runs her own business. The business can be in any sector and operational anywhere in Pakistan.
  • Women-led and managed business that have been operational for at least 3 years and are looking to scale-up. An operational history of less than 3 years may be considered if the business has earned a revenue of PKR 7.5 million in the last 12 months of its operations.
  • You are a Pakistani citizen
  • Your business has an National Tax Number (NTN)

I am a female entrepreneur with my own startup. Am I eligible?

Through Women Ventures, Karandaaz is only inviting established women-led businesses which already have a revenue stream and are looking for funding and support to scale up their business. If you are a pre-revenue start-up, you are not eligible to apply in this program.

I have a business that has been operational for 3 years but I want to start a new business. Am I eligible to apply?

Karandaaz funding can be used in your existing business to scale it up or add new business lines. It cannot be used to start a new company or a separate business.

I have a question or complaint about Women Ventures, who should I reach out to?

If you have a question or complaint related to Women Ventures, please email Womenventures@karandaaz.com.pk.

What details should my application include?

You only need to fill out the online application form. If you are shortlisted, we will ask for documents related to your business, such as corporate registration documents, tax registration certificates, financial statements and any other key documents needed.
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What sort of support can we expect?

The selected businesses will:

  1. Undergo a business plan development activity. Karandaaz will engage experts to help you develop your business plan (a fund utilization plan) and assess how much funding you need. This will be used to help you prepare for your investment pitch to Karandaaz.
  2. Have access to advisory in key areas of business development. Areas of support will be identified mutually by the selected business and Karandaaz team.
  3. After completing the above, businesses will be eligible to make an investment pitch to Karandaaz for up to Rs. 35 million (Rs. 3.5 crore) per business.

Karandaaz will negotiate an investment deal with the selected businesses. Our investment instrument is a sub commercial convertible debt, or quasi equity in the business. The terms and conditions of the investment will be negotiated after selection. Business development support provided by Karandaaz to selected businesses is  a free of charge service and a mandatory condition for eligibility.

What does ‘investment’ mean in the context of Karandaaz Women Ventures?

Karandaaz intends to provide patient capital to the women-led businesses that are selected. The patient capital will be in the form of convertible debt or quasi-equity. Our aim in providing such capital is not to seek commercial financial returns but to grow the business. Compared to commercial investors, we have a higher risk tolerance and longer investment horizons. However, these funds are not grants and high level of professional integrity and business discipline is expected from selected businesses.

What is the next step in the process after submitting the application?

Karandaaz will select businesses and inform them via email. Applicants which are not selected will also be informed via email. To remain updated about the program, you can follow our Facebook page or visit wv.karandaaz.com.pk 

If I participate, what commitments will I be required to make to Karandaaz?

If selected, you will commit to:

  1. Participating in all components of the program, including a business assessment, business advisory support and investment pitching.
  2. Being open to negotiating an investment deal with Karandaaz. You will have the right to accept or reject the investment offer made by Karandaaz.
  3. Participating in events, documentation and monitoring and evaluation activities as required by Karandaaz.

Are there any participation costs?

There is no fee for participation.

Submission of applications does not guarantee selection for the program. Karandaaz retains the right to reject applications without providing any reason. Decisions made by Karandaaz or its appointees at all stages of the selection and financial award process will be considered final and will not be contestable.