New Delhi: Ignore women and reap the whirlwind. That’s a hard fact Bengalureans will have to come to terms with sooner than later. The city may be India's Silicon Valley but ranks as low as 40th among the top 50 global cities that foster high-potential women entrepreneurs, according to a report by tech giant Dell.
The only consolation-Bengaluru tops among cities in the country on this index with the only other Indian city in the top 50, Delhi, at a poor 49.
Dell, as part of its annual Women Entrepreneur (WE) Cities Index, ranks cities in terms of their ability to attract and foster growth of women-owned firms. New York is ranked first, followed by Bay Area, London, Boston and Stockholm. Singapore was at 8th place.
The study ranked cities based on the impact of local policies, programmes and characteristics in addition to national laws and customs. "Globally, women's entrepreneurship rates are growing at more than 10 per cent each year. In fact, women are likely or more likely than men to start businesses in many markets," said Karen Quintos, EVP and chief customer officer at Dell. However, financial, cultural and political barriers can limit the success of these businesses, she added.
