**Executive Summary**
This document celebrates the seven-year anniversary of the SWAYATT initiative, aimed at making public procurement more inclusive for startups, women entrepreneurs, and youth. Launched in February 2019, SWAYATT leverages the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to provide access to markets, finance, and value addition. Key performance indicators show significant growth in orders and volumes for women entrepreneurs and startups by FY 2025-26.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **SWAYATT Initiative Overview:**
* Launched on February 19, 2019, with the vision of democratizing government procurement.
* Enables startups, women entrepreneurs, youth, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), and Self Help Groups (SHGs) to participate directly in public procurement.
* Addresses critical challenges for emerging enterprises: access to markets, finance, and value addition.
* Utilizes GeM's digital infrastructure to connect enterprises with government buyers, reducing entry barriers.
* **Program and Achievements:**
* A commemorative program marked the seven-year journey, bringing together stakeholders.
* SWAYATT has become a key pillar of GeM's inclusive public procurement ecosystem.
* Dedicated storefronts like "Startup Runway" and "Womaniya" enhance visibility for sellers.
* **Growth and Impact:**
* **Women Entrepreneurs:** Cumulative order values are projected to rise from ₹1,265.62 crore (FY 2018-19) to ₹83,323 crore (FY 2025-26). Order volumes are expected to increase from 1,01,530 to 44,48,894 in the same period.
* **Startups:** Cumulative order values are projected to increase from ₹497.24 crore (FY 2018-19) to ₹54,005.8 crore (FY 2025-26). Order volumes are expected to expand from 17,434 to 5,30,578 in the same period.
* SWAYATT has enabled emerging enterprises to scale through digital access, transparent processes, and direct market linkages.
* GeM continues to expand opportunities at the grassroots level through capacity building and outreach.
* The initiative demonstrates how technology-driven procurement can expand equitable access.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Startups**
* **Impact:** Enhanced access to government markets, increased opportunities for scaling businesses, and significant growth in participation and transaction value.
* **Action Required:** Continue to leverage GeM and SWAYATT for government procurement opportunities.
* **Women Entrepreneurs**
* **Impact:** Significant growth in participation and transaction value in public procurement, with increased order volumes and values.
* **Action Required:** Continue to utilize GeM and SWAYATT to access government markets and expand their businesses.
* **Youth**
* **Impact:** Expanded opportunities to participate in public procurement.
* **Action Required:** Engage with GeM and SWAYATT to explore procurement opportunities.
* **Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs)**
* **Impact:** Enabled access to government markets with increased visibility and opportunity.
* **Action Required:** Utilize GeM and SWAYATT to participate in public procurement.
* **Self Help Groups (SHGs)**
* **Impact:** Provided direct participation in the public procurement ecosystem.
* **Action Required:** Engage with GeM and SWAYATT to access government procurement opportunities.
* **Government Buyers**
* **Impact:** Increased discoverability of a diverse range of suppliers, including startups and women-led enterprises.
* **Action Required:** Continue to utilize GeM for procurement needs, engaging with a wider range of vendors.
* **Policymakers**
* **Impact:** Evidence of the successful implementation of an initiative promoting inclusive procurement and economic growth.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support and evolve initiatives like SWAYATT to foster inclusive economic development.
* **Ecosystem Partners**
* **Impact:** Opportunities to contribute to and benefit from an inclusive public procurement ecosystem.
* **Action Required:** Continue to collaborate and support the SWAYATT initiative and its objectives.
Key Entities Referenced
SWAYATT: An initiative to promote inclusive public procurement by enabling startups, women entrepreneurs, youth, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and last-mile sellers to participate in the public procurement ecosystem.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM): The platform facilitating public procurement and hosting the SWAYATT initiative.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry: The government ministry overseeing GeM and the SWAYATT initiative.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
GeM Celebrates Seven Years of SWAYATT
Initiative to Promote Inclusive Public
Procurement
SWAYATT Expands Access to Government Procurement for
Startups, Women Entrepreneurs and SHGs through GeM
Women Entrepreneurs Register ₹83,323 Crore Orders on
GeM; Startups Cross ₹54,000 Crore under SWAYATT
Posted On: 06 MAR 2026 5:50PM by PIB Delhi
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) today celebrated the seven-year journey of its flagship initiative,
SWAYATT – Startups, Women and Youth Advantage through e-Transactions – reaffirming its commitment
to making public procurement more inclusive for startups, women entrepreneurs and youth across India.
Launched on 19 February 2019, SWAYATT was conceptualised with the vision of democratising
government procurement by enabling startups, women entrepreneurs, youth, Micro and Small Enterprises
(MSEs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) and last-mile sellers to directly participate in the public procurement
ecosystem through Government e-Marketplace.
Rooted in GeM’s foundational pillar of social inclusion, SWAYATT focuses on addressing three critical
challenges often faced by emerging enterprises—access to markets, access to finance and access to value
addition. By leveraging the digital procurement infrastructure of GeM, the initiative enables enterprises
from across the country to connect directly with government buyers, thereby reducing barriers to entry and
expanding opportunities.
The commemorative programme marking the seven-year journey of SWAYATT was organised at the GeM
office, bringing together policymakers, startup founders, women entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners to
reflect on the initiative’s impact and future roadmap.
The programme began with a perspective on SWAYATT by Additional CEO, GeM, Shri Ajit B. Chavan.
The event also featured special addresses by distinguished guests including Co-Founder and Director,
NEDAR Foundation, Shri K. V. Rajendran; Director, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises,
Shri Md. Salik Parwaiz; and Deputy Director, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,
Shri Md. Alam Ansari.
Entrepreneurs from across sectors also shared their experiences of participating in public procurement
through GeM. Founder, Club First Robotics, Smt. Neelima Mishra, and Founder, Surprise Someone, Ms.
Pinky Maheshwari highlighted how GeM has enabled their enterprises to access government markets and
scale their businesses.A short film capturing the seven-year journey of SWAYATT was also screened, showcasing how the
initiative has expanded opportunities for startups, women entrepreneurs and youth across the country.
Delivering the keynote address, CEO, GeM, Shri Mihir Kumar said that SWAYATT embodies GeM’s
vision of making public procurement more inclusive by enabling startups, women entrepreneurs and youth
to access government markets directly. He noted that by leveraging digital technology and partnerships
across the ecosystem, GeM is helping transform emerging enterprises into active participants in the
country’s economic growth.
Since its inception, SWAYATT has become a key pillar of GeM’s inclusive public procurement ecosystem,
enabling startups, women entrepreneurs and MSEs to access government markets with greater visibility
and opportunity. Dedicated storefronts such as Startup Runway and Womaniya further strengthen this
ecosystem by enhancing discoverability among lakhs of government buyers across the country.
The initiative’s impact is reflected in the significant growth in participation and transaction value across
these seller segments on GeM.
Women entrepreneurs have recorded strong growth on GeM, with cumulative order values rising from
₹1,265.62 crore in FY 2018–19 to ₹83,323 crore by FY 2025–26. During the same period, order volumes
increased from 1,01,530 to 44,48,894, reflecting the expanding participation of women-led enterprises in
public procurement over the seven-year journey of SWAYATT.
Participation of startups has also witnessed strong momentum on the GeM platform, with cumulative
order values increasing from ₹497.24 crore in FY 2018–19 to ₹54,005.8 crore by FY 2025–26. During the
same period, order volumes expanded from 17,434 to 5,30,578, highlighting the growing role of startups
in public procurement through the SWAYATT initiative.
These outcomes highlight how SWAYATT has enabled emerging enterprises to scale their participation in
government procurement through digital access, transparent processes and direct market linkages.
Through sustained capacity building and outreach, GeM continues to expand opportunities at the
grassroots level.
Over the past seven years, SWAYATT has demonstrated how technology-driven procurement can expand
equitable access, truly making the invisible invincible in public procurement.
***
Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas
(Release ID: 2236036) Visitor Counter : 252
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