Purchasing from women technopreneurs: effects on women consumers’ empowerment and entrepreneurial motivation in Pakistan

Technopreneurs are entrepreneurs who leverage technology to advance their ventures. In Pakistan, technopreneurship is becoming increasingly significant due to mounting socioeconomic challenges and high unemployment rates. However, studies focusing specifically on female technopreneurs are limited, despite the opportunities technology creates for both female entrepreneurs and consumers. Literature indicates that purchasing from women provides female consumers with a sense of representation, support, and empowerment, while exposure to successful female entrepreneurs motivates others to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between purchasing from women technopreneurs on a newly launched local e-commerce platform and the entrepreneurial motivation and empowerment of female consumers in Pakistan. A quantitative approach was employed, with online questionnaires distributed to 150 female respondents during the platform’s initial quarter. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0, revealing a weak positive relationship between purchasing from women technopreneurs and entrepreneurial motivation, and a strong positive relationship with empowerment. This gender-inclusive entrepreneurship study contributes to understanding the intersection of empowerment, e-commerce, and gender in Pakistan, while offering practical implications for e-commerce platforms, policymakers, and business owners in developing strategies that support women technopreneur-led businesses through consumer-driven empowerment.