UnPollute 26 was a dynamic three day convening that successfully brought together women climate leaders, students, government leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and climate advocates under one roof to advance women-led climate solutions.

The first day set the tone with a warm, interactive onboarding session where participating women entrepreneurs connected with one another, familiarised themselves with the platform, and prepared for the intensive days ahead. The day concluded with a hands-on workshop on digital marketing, equipping founders with practical tools to strengthen their market presence.

Day two was action-oriented and high-energy, featuring women entrepreneurs pitching their ventures and a student ideathon showcasing emerging ideas. Both segments were evaluated by an esteemed jury who provided constructive, real-time feedback. The day also included eight thematic panel discussions exploring key dimensions of women-led climate entrepreneurship, a keynote address by Rashmi Singh, IAS, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, and a focused masterclass on fundraising for social impact ventures.

The third day celebrated excellence in climate action with awards recognising outstanding leaders, along with felicitation of PitchFest and Ideathon winners by Chief Guest Smriti Zubin Irani, Founder, The Alliance Global Good: Gender Equity & Equality. The event concluded with a fireside chat between her and Pratibha Jain, Group General Counsel and Head of Strategy at Everstone Group.

Two community felicitation ceremonies (Samman Samaroh) were held in Simravari and Durgapur villages of Jhansi to honour the nine finalists of Dhanotsav Season 1 in the very communities where their entrepreneurial journeys began. Rooted in local pride and ownership, the events brought together peers, families, and village members to celebrate the women's achievements.

The finalists were formally felicitated by local dignitaries, including the District Development Officer, representatives from the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Village Pradhans, and leaders from prominent NGOs. Their presence reinforced institutional support for rural women's entrepreneurship and validated the finalists' efforts at a grassroots level.

Beyond the ceremony, interactive engagement activities encouraged dialogue with community members, building awareness about the Dhanotsav series and inspiring wider participation. By situating recognition within the villages themselves, the Samman Samaroh strengthened Dhanotsav's connection to the rural ecosystem and amplified its impact across local audiences.

The trailer launch of Dhanotsav - India's first pitch-based reality series for rural women entrepreneurs - marked a historic moment for women's entrepreneurship in India.

The event brought together changemakers, partners, and supporters to celebrate the extraordinary journeys of women from the Safal Karobar program to Dhanotsav 2025.

The event featured an inspiring address by STEP's Founder, Ms. Reinu Shah, who reflected on how Dhanotsav empowers women from India's heartlands to turn dreams into enterprises.

A highlight of the evening was the Heart-to-Heart session with Dhanotsav finalists - Sunita, Suman, Kalyani, and Pooja - who shared their transformation journeys from self-doubt to confidence and business success.

The program culminated in the "Circle of Possibilities," an open dialogue with media and ecosystem partners on how to amplify these stories and create lasting impact.

The evening closed on a note of celebration and gratitude from the STEP team.

To celebrate Women's Day, STEP hosted a first-of-its-kind outdoor Meet & Greet, creating an informal, eco-conscious space for women entrepreneurs across the Delhi-NCR startup ecosystem.

The event emphasized the power of storytelling, playful engagement, and organic networking. Entrepreneurs shared their journeys, showcased their products, and discovered collaboration opportunities while embracing sustainability through zero-waste practices and green gifting.

The Meet & Greet reaffirmed the growing need for inclusive spaces where women feel seen, heard, and supported, strengthening the community spirit at the heart of STEP's mission.

National Startup Day at Miranda House, Delhi University, was a vibrant celebration of entrepreneurial energy, centered around the theme of Youth Leadership in Public-Private Partnerships.

The event featured an inspiring keynote by STEP Founder, Ms. Reinu Shah, who shared her entrepreneurial journey and encouraged students to embrace entrepreneurship as a career path.

Over 40 student innovators showcased their ideas, with Chetna Arora from the STEP SISFS team serving as a jury member and offering valuable feedback.

A panel discussion, moderated by Priyanka Das, COO of STEP, brought together entrepreneurs and mental health counselors to discuss the challenges and opportunities in youth entrepreneurship, providing aspiring student founders with meaningful insights and inspiration.

Launched in 2024, STEP's flagship event, UnPollute, positions women entrepreneurs as leaders in climate solutions.

Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, UnPollute champions environmental sustainability and addresses urgent climate challenges.

STEP proudly hosted UnPollute'24 - A Sustainability Conclave, co-organized with Miranda House, and supported by Everstone, Eversource, and VForHer.

Held at Miranda House, Delhi, the two-day conclave brought together government, industry, and women entrepreneurs to drive impactful change.

STEP, in collaboration with Parivartan - a CSR initiative of HDFC Bank - hosted the Green Ribbon Fest, a landmark conclave dedicated to accelerating mental health-focused startups addressing pressing challenges in India and beyond.

From over 100 applications across the country in the fields of Mental Health and Mental Tech, 20 promising ventures were shortlisted as semi-finalists.

Day 1 featured a high-energy pitching round along with a masterclass on startup ecosystems led by Mr. Rohan Kapoor from HDFC Bank's Venture Capital Team.

On Day 2, the top 10 finalists showcased their innovations to a distinguished jury. It culminated in an award ceremony with funding disbursement of Rs 50 lakhs to support the winning ventures.

In collaboration with JIMS, NAAC, and IIC, STEP celebrated the 8th National Startup Day at JIMS, Indirapuram.

The event featured inspiring startup journeys, including those of Ms. Simran Sainani and Ms. Anju Padaliya, both recipients of startup grants under SISFS.

STEP Founder Ms. Reinu Shah led a compelling session on developing an entrepreneurial mindset, followed by a presentation from the STEP team on the SISFS initiative.

The event aimed to spark enthusiasm for entrepreneurship among students through real-world stories, actionable insights, and awareness of national startup support mechanisms.

STEP hosted its Annual Pitchfest for women-led startups at Hotel Radisson, Gurugram, bringing together a powerful ecosystem of support and collaboration.

A key highlight was the signing of an MoU between STEP and FICCI FLO to collaborate on the She Rises program.

The event also saw the release of a special report on women social entrepreneurs in India and their resilience in establishing startups.

Winners received cash prizes, and select participants were offered entry into STEP's incubation program.

STEP, in collaboration with Startup India and Jaipuria Institute of Management Sciences, celebrated National Startup Day with a dynamic event at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida.

The event began with a welcome address by the Dean, followed by the unveiling of a pivotal research report conducted by STEP with the University of Texas, San Antonio.

A panel discussion on entrepreneurship journeys, moderated by STEP Founder Ms. Reinu Shah, featured insights on funding, mentorship, and networking.

After a long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, STEP reignited its community spirit by organizing a series of in-person meetups across Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.

These gatherings brought together STEP team members, alumni, mentors, and supporters, offering a space for reconnection, reflection, and celebration.

Attendees shared stories of resilience, exchanged updates on their entrepreneurial journeys, and explored new opportunities for collaboration.

From energizing conversations to heartfelt moments, the meetups fostered a renewed sense of purpose and community.