The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced today the launch of its first-ever regional summit for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs in the Indo-Pacific region and welcomed more than 200 businesswomen from Brunei, Fiji, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
This summit is just part of broader U.S. efforts to engage in people-to-people diplomacy in the region. The AWE provides women with the knowledge, networks, and access they need to launch or scale successful businesses in communities and countries worldwide. It boasts a global network of 25,000 women.
The Summit, which runs from March 6-9 and is hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, leverages interactive workshops led by American businesswomen, key engagements from Malaysian and U.S. Government officials, networking opportunities for Summit participants, and a visit to a local business accelerator to strengthen and advance women-led businesses across the Indo-Pacific region.
Nancy Wang, General Manager, Amazon Web Services and Venture Partner at Felicis, will deliver the Summit’s keynote address on International Women’s Day, Wednesday, March 8.
In addition, Rekha Pai, an angel investor and partner at Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund, will spearhead interactive workshops focused on financing, addressing different avenues for funding a business, and designing winning business pitches for investors throughout the Summit.
The Biden Administration has outlined that the Indo-Pacific is a strategic geographic region for U.S. foreign policy engagement as part of its National Security Strategy, and this AWE Summit supports broader U.S. engagement in the region.
About the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is a unique organization dedicated to helping women become successful business owners. Founded in 2019, it provides resources and support to female entrepreneurs around the world.
AWE was established with the mission of empowering women by providing them with the tools, connections, and education needed to help them succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
The Academy offers comprehensive programs that cover all aspects of starting and running a business including financing, accounting, marketing, technology and more.
The support provided by AWE has enabled countless women to create prosperous businesses from their own ideas and hard work.
AWE also serves as an influential voice for female entrepreneurs through its advocacy efforts on behalf of its members.
The organization works with governments across the globe to promote policies that are beneficial for female business owners such as access to capital, tax credits and other forms of assistance.
Sources: THX News, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs & US Department of State.
