AWE Summit with focus on empowering women to succeed in business Conducted in KL

Education is the key to uplifting women and rendering them with equal access and opportunities on the economic playing field, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, the Women, Family, and Community Development Minister for Malaysia.

Nancy was speaking at the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Regional Summit which was recently in Kuala Lumpur. In her address, she urged women entrepreneurs to “continue to scale up” their businesses and create opportunities for more women to achieve success.

Nancy launched the AWE Summit along with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs US Department of State Rafik Mansour and US Ambassador to Malaysia Brian McFeeters.

“The AWE programme has benefited many women entrepreneurs, providing them with access to education and mentorship. I look forward to the Summit’s outcomes and seeing how Malaysian women entrepreneurs here can continue to scale up their businesses and provide further avenues for more women to participate and achieve economic success,” said Nancy.

The AWE Summit saw 200 women entrepreneurs and business leaders from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and New Zealand coming together.

Participants got the opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices, expand their capacity, and network to foster growth, innovation, and sustainability. The AWE Summit will also utilize US business expertise and technology to build business acumen. The objective is to create stronger ties and networks among women entrepreneurs within the Indo-Pacific region.

American and Malaysian business leaders and angel investors will guide participants on topics such as using technology to scale up business models, and future-proofing businesses. Participants will also be guided on pitching and marketing to investors.

“AWE has empowered over 25,000 women entrepreneurs worldwide since its launch in 2019. From improving artisans’ livelihoods through digital marketing to facilitating access to mental health care, AWE’s alumni have demonstrated the importance of investing in women-led businesses to achieve sustainable growth across the Indo-Pacific region,” said Rafik Mansour.