What is SWAYATT initiative?

• The SWAYATT initiative under the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) completed seven years of its launch, reaffirming its commitment to making public procurement more inclusive for startups, women entrepreneurs and youth across India. 

• Government e-Marketplace is a government-owned Section 8 company set up under the aegis of department of commerce for procurement of goods and services by central and state government organisations.

What is SWAYATT initiative?

• Launched on February 19, 2019, Startups, Women and Youth Advantage through e-Transactions (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:

i) Access to markets

ii) Access to finance

iii) 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 objectives of SWAYATT are to:

i) Promote inclusiveness of various categories of sellers and service providers on the GeM portal by taking proactive steps for facilitating their training and registrations for specific category of manufacturers and sellers.

ii) Develop women entrepreneurship.

iii) Encourage participation of MSME sector and startups in public procurement.

Impact of SWAYATT

• 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 Rs 1,265.62 crore in FY 2018-19 to Rs 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 Rs 497.24 crore in FY 2018-19 to Rs 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.