India is forecast to become the world’s third largest economy by 2028. With nearly twice as many women as the entire population of the United States, the opportunities for female empowerment to affect the global economy in India are numerous.

Committed to unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of India’s women and helping them achieve success in traditionally male-dominated industries is Yuukke, an organization that provides mentorship, networking opportunities, conferences and even a specialized marketplace for women entrepreneurs to sell their products.  

Yuukke, which means “catalyst” in Tamil, one of India’s major languages, is focused on bridging the gender gap and helping young professional women succeed at every stage of the business lifecycle.

“Our goal is to develop a range of resources tailored to meet the growing demand for women in business and professions,” says Senthamarai Gokulakrishnan, Yuukke’s founder. “Our first step is to bridge the gender divide and create a fairer business world for everyone. Our mission is to empower 1 million women entrepreneurs by 2025.”

Sri Sundaram, dean of Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, is a founding member of Yuukke’s board because of his commitment to education and empowerment of women around the world. Sundaram connected Yuukke’s founder with the entrepreneurial resources of the college.

To help in this mission, the Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics has deployed Yuukke Launch Pad, a free course consisting of seven modules, each exploring a particular aspect of entrepreneurship, such as identifying and addressing social needs, obtaining funding, marketing a business, legal considerations such as intellectual property protection, and launching and expanding a startup. The course focuses on the crucial business planning phase of starting a social enterprise-oriented business.

“Social enterprise is a global phenomenon. It is possible for startup founders anywhere in the world to make money, do business ethically, and make the planet a better place. Our partnership with Yuukke aspires to do just that.” says John Bradley Jackson ’77, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. 

Students can progress in the course at their own pace, earning badges for completed tasks, and in the end will be equipped to make a positive impact in their families and communities while building profitable businesses.

Travis Lindsay ’10, a longtime associate of the Center for Entrepreneurship, and Victor Macias ’09, an entrepreneur and consultant for the center, helped design the course, which was made possible by a 2022 collective grant designed to transform North Orange County into a social enterprise hub.  This course will be made available to other strategic partners in the future.

“I am proud to witness how this partnership between CSUF Entrepreneurship and Yuukke is not only providing valuable education but also building pathways for entrepreneurs all over the world. It’s a testament to the transformative power of collaboration,” says Lindsay, who also co-founded Titan Angels, a venture capital fund.

Dean Sri Sundaram also lauds the program.

“This partnership represents how the CSUF College of Business and Economics is not only focused on educating Southern California students but also focused on contributing to society – whether across the street or around the world. Our mission is to also have a positive global impact,” says the dean. “It’s only appropriate considering that while 80% of our alumni stay in Southern California, we have Business Titans all over the world.”