With the steady growth of the Indian startup ecosystem, an increasing number of women are pursuing the entrepreneurial dream and succeeding in their businesses. Other Indian women who are still tied to the conventional homemaker role are being empowered to think for themselves as a result of this.
However, a new survey reveals that only two Indian towns have made it to the list of the 50 most suitable global areas for women to work. Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, was placed 40th, while Delhi was 49th. The poll was done by Dell in collaboration with IHS Markit, a consultant firm. Based on feedback from Indian women entrepreneurs, policymakers, venture capitalists, the media, and academics, the rating assesses a city’s capacity to attract and support women who wish to start businesses.
According to the National Sample Survey, women entrepreneurs account for only 14% of all enterprises in India. The majority of the businesses are self-funded and operate on a small scale. According to a survey, approximately 126 million women around the world operate their own businesses, whereas Indian women number around 8 million; a perplexing assertion given that India is the world’s second most populous country. StartupTalky has put up a list of prominent female entrepreneurs that have created a name for themselves in India’s startup scene.
Some Interesting Facts about Indian Women Entrepreneurs
- About 58 percent of the female entrepreneurs were in the age range of 20-30 when they began out.
- In a financial year, over 73 percent of them record an income of around Rs 10 lakhs.
- Almost 57 percent of these ladies began out alone, meaning they didn’t have any other members in their group.
- A co-founder was present in about 35% of the women.
- Approximately 71 percent of Indian female entrepreneurs employ five or fewer workers.
In a country like India, where most women aren’t encouraged to think large (especially in rural areas), some have risen higher than one might imagine in such a constrictive environment. These remarkable women are motivating other females to go on the path of entrepreneurship by their success stories encompassing personal battles and challenges. As a result, India is rapidly gaining in the rankings when it comes to a favorable startup climate backed by strong government support.
5 Successful Indian Women Entrepreneurs
Aditi Gupta | Founder: Menstrupedia
Aditi Gupta is a social entrepreneur and the co-founder of Menstrupedia, which promotes menstrual health awareness. Tuhin Paul, her spouse, and she began this business together. Her foray into this so-called taboo arose from her own personal encounters with it. Menstruation was a painful time for her, and she had to go through it without any help.
She decided to create a website on menstruation, complete with illustrations and graphics, to educate women about periods after discovering that many women shared her concern. Menstrupedia has grown incredibly popular among girls and women who are interested in learning more about the subject.
Aditi continues to educate women about menstruation hygiene in order to dispel myths about this natural phenomenon. She is, without a doubt, one of the rare gems who wishes to contribute to society. She wants to see a future in which menstruation is viewed as a positive transition in a girl’s life rather than a negative one. She is from Jharkhand’s Garhwal region. Aditi holds a master’s degree in design from Ahmedabad’s National Institute of Design.
Anisha Singh | Founder: mydala.com
Anisha Singh is no stranger to roller-coaster rides; she has experienced many ups and downs in her life before reaching the level of accomplishment she has now. She is the co-founder and CEO of Mydala, India’s largest deal-making platform. Anisha’s long journey began while she was working on Capitol Hill as an entrepreneur’s advocate. She subsequently went to work for a software firm in Boston, where she created e-learning ecosystems. Anisha Singh is well-known for her outspoken advocacy for female causes and campaigns. She doesn’t give in to fear and speaks her mind.
Anisha is from the Indian city of New Delhi. She graduated from American University in Washington, DC, with a master’s degree in political communication and an MBA in Information Systems. Anisha Singh is one of India’s most successful businesswomen and served as a judge on an Indian entrepreneurship reality show.
Shradha Sharma | Founder: YourStory
Shradha was at the pinnacle of her career, working for prominent news organizations in Mumbai such as the Times of India and CNBC. She met a lot of entrepreneurs during that time and learned about their success stories. Several channels turned down her proposal to feature these businesses. She realized there were millions of stories raging around her, but she had no platform to cover them.
She came up with the idea of creating an internet portal to showcase such stories. YourStory began in 2008 and now includes over 70,000 stories on its website. Shradha Sharma is the leader of a team of over 100 people that provides content in 11 different languages. The goal is to convey the emotional roller coaster that an entrepreneur experiences.
She received the L’Oreal Paris Femina Award and was named one of the Top 500 LinkedIn Influencers in the World. Shraddha is one of India’s most accomplished and powerful female businesswomen.
Upasana Taku | Founder: Mobikwik
Mobikwik was co-founded by Upasana Taku and her husband, Bipin Preet Singh. Mobikwik is a financial technology startup. It’s a virtual wallet that’s connected to a vast network of businesses and services. The Mobikwik wallet allows users to recharge and pay at registered locations. Mobikwik also offers cashback to its customers through a programme called “SuperCash.”
Upasana Taku has extensive financial experience, having previously worked as a senior product manager at PayPal (an eBay business) in Silicon Valley and at HSBC (San Diego). She graduated from NIT Jalandhar with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a master’s degree in management science from Stanford University.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw | Founder – Biocon
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, one of India’s most well-known entrepreneurs, is the founder and Executive Chairman of Biocon, a prominent Bangalore-based biotechnology firm. Shaw is responsible for Biocon’s current growth and large-scale expansion, and her belief in “cheap innovation” was important in this.
She had previously worked for United Breweries and, after expanding into biopharmaceuticals, had likewise broken several preconceptions there. Shaw went on to study brewing at Ballarat College, Melbourne University, after graduating from Bangalore University. She excelled in her coursework and graduated with a master’s brewer degree in 1975.
Conclusion
These role models can teach Indians a lot. Their businesses and efforts are more than just a way to make money. The women featured in this article are some of India’s most successful female entrepreneurs, demonstrating the power of creativity and invention. Gender is not a stumbling block to achievement.
Read Also-20 female-led firms are on track to become unicorns
