Davos 2026: Smriti Irani says global investors are looking to back women entrepreneurs in India

Smriti Irani talks to Moneycontrol at WEF about her 100K spark initiative.

• India-led alliance at Davos aims to boost investment in women-led businesses
• Alliance raised $2 million and seeks $100 million for 1 lakh women entrepreneurs
• SPARK The 100k Collective partners with Commonwealth to create global frameworks

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Davos may carry the reputation of being a playground for big money, but an India-led alliance is working to change that perception by turning global conversations into capital for grassroots entrepreneurs—especially women, said former Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Irani told Moneycontrol that over the past two years, the Alliance for Global Good has engaged with more than 5,000 foreign delegates and presented 12 policy papers across five international platforms, including the World Bank and the United Nations. Its focus has been simple: ensure that intent translates into investment.

“There’s a belief that forums like Davos only pay lip service to issues such as equity,” she said. “What we’ve shown is that profit and purpose can meet.”

One of the most tangible outcomes emerged from a panel discussion aimed at raising $100 million for 1 lakh women-owned businesses across 300 Indian cities. The initiative drew interest from global investors and consulting majors, opening the door for commercial capital to flow into small, women-led enterprises.

"The attention we got from investors, from the big four, and the fact that big money is forthcoming as commercial capital for small businesses which are led and owned by women in India. For me, that's one of the success stories of the alliance that we created at the forum," Irani said.

While Davos this year has been dominated by conversations on artificial intelligence (AI) and geopolitics, India’s agenda has also carried a strong wellness and inclusion lens.

"Prime Minister Modi was extremely hopeful that his push for AYUSH gets an international investment so that at least certain verticals see a lot of buoyancy especially with regards to women's health that his policy has always been dedicated. For the first time, one of the largest investments in the area of wellness for women, their hormonal health, their bone health, brain health, that investment fructified on the streets of Davos," Irani said.

Additionally, Irani's SPARK The 100k Collective is also working on building a replicable model for women entrepreneurs. It has entered into an understanding with the Commonwealth Secretariat to create a framework in India that can be adapted globally.

Irani said that women entrepreneurs across countries face similar barriers—access to capital, navigating compliance, and integrating into supply chains. “Compliance isn’t just about government regulations,” she said. “It’s about dealing with banks, financial institutions, and procurement ecosystems. Our aim is to simplify this journey and provide accelerated solutions.”

The initiative has already raised $2 million in Davos this year.

At its first interface, 300 women-owned businesses were invited—500 showed up. “That tells you there is not just potential, but hunger,” Irani said. “There is ambition. Women want to scale—and they’re ready.”

Watch the interview here.