Creating spaces to nurture innovations by next-gen LGBTI entrepreneurs

16 May 2022

This article details how in late 2020, Youth Co:Lab, the Being LGBTI in Asia and the Pacific Programme and UNDP India came together to give to the young, diverse, brilliant LGBTI youth across India opportunities within this ecosystem to showcase their solutions meant for their communities.

The cohort largely comprised of nascent and early-stage entrepreneurs, most of whom had never been exposed to any entrepreneurial or business training. The varied online sessions, set against the backdrop of COVID-19, enabled the young entrepreneurs to learn online at their own pace whilst also ensuring that they were developing worthwhile skills and building their capacity as advocates. This was especially useful for those who were faced with unemployment or out of school as result of the pandemic, a reality faced by many LGBTI Youth across the region.

A recent Youth Co:Lab report suggests that among the handful LGBTI entrepreneurs, 71% were negatively impacted by COVID-19, while only 44% are confident that their businesses will recover after the pandemic.

 
 

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