COIMBATORE: Thirty-two emerging entrepreneurs including 20 women from the city, learned about innovative tools for start-ups during a two-day TechCamp, which concluded here on Friday.

The event was organised by the U.S. Consulate-General in partnership with Global India Fund and four experts from India and the United States led interactive training on innovative technologies available to start-ups in order to take their enterprises to the next level.

Inaugurating the TechCamp virtually from US Consulate-General Chennai on Thursday, Lauren Lovelace, Consul for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, stressed U.S. commitment to create an environment that empowers innovators especially women and first-generation business owners, an official release said.

“The United States seeks to support a dynamic environment for innovators and start-ups – a start-up ecosystem that empowers innovators, particularly women and first-generation entrepreneurs, to take their ideas and businesses to the next level. These are goals shared by both the U.S. and Indian Governments expressed at last year’s 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which was conducted under the banner, ‘Women First, Prosperity for All,’” she said.

U.S. Consulate-General in Chennai offered practical guidance on how to network, grow and expand the entrepreneurs’ businesses. In addition, the Nexus Startup Hub, which is housed in the American Center in New Delhi, provided a virtual orientation about training opportunities available to emerging entrepreneurs, it said.

At the concluding session Kathleen Hosie, Information Officer, U.S. Consulate-General, Chennai awarded certificates and urged the participating entrepreneurs to remain connected with one another.

TechCamp, an interactive workshop hosted by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs, connect technology experts from around the globe with local groups seeking to apply technology to tackle specific issues and find solutions focusing on building digital capacity for various groups including civil society, NGOs, journalists, advocacy groups, entrepreneurs, professionals, students and others.

Since 2010 the Department has conducted more than 60 TechCamps, training more than 3,200 participants from more than 110 countries. This is the second TechCamp for emerging entrepreneurs in South India, the first held in Chennai for 55 international participants in July last, the release said.