Indian startup ecosystem is witnessing a boom in the number of startups and women entrepreneurs have played a key role in strengthening the ecosystem. Over the years, women have dominated every industry across the globe.
Let’s look at some of the fearless women entrepreneurs in India, who are changing the world with their ventures across different domains.
Here is a list of top 40 contemporary women entrepreneurs in India:
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Upasana Taku, MobiKwik
Upasana Taku, an alumnus of Stanford University, co-founded Gurugram-based digital payments startup MobiKwik, along with her husband Bipin Preet Singh, in 2009.
The startup provides a platform to enable users to recharge and pay bills for mobiles, electricity, transfer money, and book bus tickets, among a number of other services. The fintech startup continues to grow and has recently started offering loans, up to ₹60,000, expanding its product offering.
In August 2017, MobiKwik last raised $35.4 million in a series D funding round from Bajaj Finserve Limited. The startup has raised more than $100 million, across all funding rounds, according to Crunchbase.
Ambiga Subramanian, Mu Sigma
Bengaluru-based data analytics startup Mu Sigma was founded by Ambiga Subramanian, along with her husband Dhiraj Rajaram in 2004.
The startup offers data analytics services and decision support system tools to many big companies around the globe. Major analytics tools offered by the company to its clients include muOBI, muUniverse, muPDNA, and muDSC. Mu Sigma went on to become the second Indian company to join the coveted unicorn club in 2013, after India’s leading mobile marketing and advertising platform provider InMobi.
Till date, Mu Sigma has raised over $200 million across various funding rounds, according to Crunchbase. The startup also counts Sequoia Capital India, MasterCard, and General Atlantic, among its investors.
Radhika Aggarwal, ShopClues
Gurugram-based e-commerce startup ShopClues was founded by Radhika Aggarwal, Sanjay Sethi and Sandeep Aggarwal, in 2011. It provides an online marketplace for customers to shop across various categories like clothing, mobile, electronics, sports, and kitchen.
In August 2018, ShopClues raised ₹110 crore in a funding round from Matrix Partners India, Unilazer Ventures, and GIC.
Falguni Nayar, Nykaa
Mumbai-based online fashion startup Nykaa was founded by former investment banker Falguni Nayar in 2012. It provides a multi-brand online platform offering a wide range of fashion and beauty products, across categories like hair, skin, personal care, wellness, and fragrance.
Earlier in September 2018, Nykaa raised ₹113 crore in a secondary transaction from Lighthouse.
Bengaluru-based online food delivery startup FreshMenu was founded by IIM Ahmedabad alumnus Rashmi Daga in 2014. The startup provides a technology platform to let customers order food from an extensive menu and delivers the food right at their doorsteps.
FreshMenu last raised $16.5 million in a funding round led by Zodius Capital, along with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, in January 2016. It has raised more than $21 million, across multiple rounds of funding, according to Crunchbase.
Shreya Mishra, Flyrobe
Mumbai-based online fashion rental startup Flyrobe was co-founded by IIT Bombay alumni Shreya Mishra, Pranay Surana, and Tushar Saxena, in 2015.
The startup offers a wide range of apparels on rent for men and women through its platform. The customers can choose from various categories like designers, style, and collection, and get their clothes delivered directly to their doorsteps.
Earlier in September 2018, Flyrobe raised ₹26 crore in a fresh funding round led by Sequoia Capital India.
Naiyya Saggi, BabyChakra
Mumbai-based online parenting startup BabyChakra was founded by Harward Business School alumnus Naiyya Saggi, in 2015.
The startup provides a platform for parents to connect with services and products to help during and after the pregnancy. It also enables parents to interact with each other to give and receive advice.
Earlier in September 2018, BabyChakra raised an undisclosed amount of funds a clutch of investors.
Padmaja Ruparel, Indian Angel Network
New Delhi-based Indian Angel Network was co-founded by Padmaja Ruparel, along with others in 2006.
Indian Angel Network is a consortium of angel investors, providing them with a platform to invest in early-stage startups. The network has more than 400 active investors across 10 countries.
Some of the startups in its portfolio include logistics startup LogiNext, foodtech startup Box8, edtech startup SuperProfs, and lingerie brand PrettySecrets.
Sakshi Tulsian, POSist
New Delhi-based Point of Sale solutions provider POSist was founded by Sakshi Tulsian and Ashish Tulsian in 2011. It provides a comprehensive restaurant management platform helping food businesses to manage functions like Billing, CRM, Inventory Control, Recipe and Wastage Management, Centralized Menu Management, Vendor Management and more.
The startup serves over 5,000 customers in more than 100 cities spread across six countries.
Hemalatha Annamalai, Ampere Vehicles
Coimbatore-based electric vehicle company Ampere Vehicles was founded by Hemalatha Annamalai in 2008. The company manufactures and also designs, develops and markets electric vehicles including cycles, scooters, and three wheelers.
In April 2016, Ampere Vehicles raised an undisclosed amount of funds from NuVentures and Infosys‘ founder Kris Gopalakrishnan.
Rati Shetty, BankBazaar
Chennai-based fintech startup BankBazaar was founded by Rati Shetty, Adhil Shetty, and Arjun Shetty, in 2008. It helps consumers to compare offers across various banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) for products such as credit and debit cards, loans, savings and investment products, and insurance.
In October 2017, BankBazaar raised ₹191 crore in a series D funding round from Experian.
Suchita Salwan, Little Black Book
New Delhi-based search and discovery platform Little Black Book was founded by Suchita Salwan and Dhruv Mathur in 2012. It provides a platform for users to discover a wide range of events, places, restaurants, experiences, stores, and home decor, among many others.
In October 2017, Little Black Book raised ₹6.5 crore in a venture funding round led by Blume Ventures, along with participation from IDG Ventures, and Indian Angel Network.
Malini Agarwal, MissMalini
Mumbai-based digital entertainment content platform MissMalini was started by Malini Agarwal as a blog in 2008. The blog has since then expanded into a multi-platform media network, reaching 40 million people every month. It creates millennial-focused content across various platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The platform is looking to launch its next TV show in a direct-to-consumer or OTT (over-the-top) format.
In August 2018, MissMalini raised ₹10.4 crores in pre-series A funding led by Orios Venture Partners and New Enterprise Associates.
Suchi Mukherjee, Limeroad
Gurugram-based fashion and lifestyle e-commerce startup LimeRoad was founded by Suchi Mukherjee, a London School of Economics alumnus, Prashant Malik, and Ankush Mehra in 2012. It provides a technology platform to enable customers to buy various fashion products under categories like footwear, accessories, bag, clothing, and watches.
In March 2015, Limeroad raised $30 million in a series C funding round led by Tiger Global Management, along with participation from Matrix Partners India and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Richa Kar, Zivame
Bengaluru-based online lingerie startup Zivame was founded by BITS Pilani graduate Richa Kar, in 2011. It offers a wide range of lingerie, across categories like bras, panties, nightwear, shapewear, and activewear through its platform.
In May 2018, Zivame raised an undisclosed amount of funds from Zodius Capital. The online lingerie retailer has raised around $50 million across all funding rounds, from a number of investors including Chiratae Ventures, Unilazaer Ventures, and Kalaari Capital.
Neha Motwani, Fitternity
Mumbai-based fitness discovery portal Fitternity was founded by Neha Motwani and Jayam Vora in 2014. The startup enables users to book real-time sessions across more than 12,000 fitness centres spread across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh.
In April 2018, Fitternity raised $2 million from a number of investors including Exfinity Venture Partners, Saha Fund, Arihant Patni, and Anjali Bansal.
Preeta Sukhtankar, The Label Life
Mumbai-based e-commerce lifestyle brand The Label Life was founded by Preeta Sukhtankar in 2012. The brand offers styles from various Indian style icons including Bollywood actors Bipasha Basu and Malaika Arora, and Sussanne Khan. It offers various products across categories like clothing, shoes, and accessories, through both online and offline channels.
In December 2017, The Label Life raised ₹20 crore in a funding round from Centrum Capital and Kalpavriksh.
Aditi Gupta, Menstrupedia
Ahmedabad-based women-focused online platform Menstrupedia was founded by Aditi Gupta, along with Tuhin Paul and Rajat Mittal in 2012. The platform is focused on promoting safe women health and hygiene by delivering informative and entertaining content through different media.
Richa Singh, YourDOST
Bengaluru-based emotional wellness startup YourDOST was founded by IIT Guwahati graduate Richa Singh, along with Prakhar Verma, Puneet Manuja, and Satyajeet Nanekar, in 2014.
The startup provides an online counselling platform, to connect users anonymously to psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, and life coaches, in order to foster mental wellbeing.
In June 2016, YourDOST raised $1.2 million in a funding round led by SAIF Partners, along with participation from Phanindra Sama, Founder of redBus, and Aprameya Radhakrishna, Founder of TaxiForSure and Vokal.
Pranshu Bhandari, CultureAlley
Jaipur-based edtech startup CultureAlley was founded by Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies alumnus Pranshu Bhandari and Nishant Patni, in 2012. The startup provides a technology platform to enable individuals to learn English, using their regional language.
It offers 22 languages from which an individual can start learning English, including, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Urdu, French, Spanish, Nepali, Telugu, and Tamil.
In July 2015, CultureAlley raised $6.5 million in series A funding round led by Tiger Global Management, along with participation from Kae Capital and 500 Startups, according to Crunchbase.
Sairee Chahal, Sheroes
New Delhi-based women focused startup Sheroes was founded by IMT Ghaziabad alumnus Sairee Chahal in 2013. The startup provides a platform for women to engage in conversations across various topics like health, careers, relationships, achievements, and moments.
In September 2018, Sheroes raised an undisclosed amount of funds a clutch of investors including Leo Capital, Facebook’s Anand Chandrasekaran, Lumis Partners, Raghav Bahl, Quintillion Media, and the HR Fund.
Vani Kola, Kalaari Capital
Bengaluru-based early-stage venture capital firm Kalaari Capital was founded by Vani Kola in 2011. The firm has more than $650 million in assets under management across domains including digital media, e-commerce, education, healthcare, fintech, retail, and clean technology.
Some of its latest investments include used car marketplace Truebil, P2P knowledge sharing startup Vokal, online fashion brand StalkBuyLove, healthtech startup HealthPlix, and health and fitness startup Curefit.
Shradha Sharma, YourStory
Bengaluru-based media tech startup YourStory was founded by Shradha Sharma in 2008. It offers content covering the stories of budding and seasoned entrepreneurs in the Indian startup ecosystem.
YourStory has a presence across the country and offers text and video-based content in 12 Indian languages including Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Bengali.
In October 2017, YourStory last raised $6 million in funding from UC-RNT Fund, Kalaari Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, and 3one4 Capital.
Anisha Singh, myDala
New Delhi-based coupon and discount marketing startup mydala was founded by Anisha Singh, Arjun Basu, and Ashish Bhatnagar in 2009. It provides deals and offers to users across different categories including restaurants, grocery, entertainment, travel, and spas.
In June 2015, mydala last raised an undisclosed amount of funds from Brand Capital.
Debadutta Upadhyaya, Timesaverz
Mumbai-based home services startup Timesaverz was founded by former Yahoo employee Debadutta Upadhyaya and Lovnish Bhatia, in 2013. The startup offers curated home services to its customers including cleaning, pest control, repairs, and handyman jobs.
In July 2017, Timesaverz raised $1 million in funding from Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd.
Manisha Raisinghani, LogiNext
Mumbai and US-based logistics startup LogiNext was founded by former IBM employee Manisha Raisinghani and Dhruvil Sanghvi in 2014. It is a SaaS-based startup providing solutions to manage and optimize logistics and field service operations.
LogiNext’s flagship products are its cloud-based Last Mile Delivery and Route Optimization software and its Field Service and Field Workforce Optimization software.
In September 2015, LogiNext raised $10 million in series A round led by digital payments giant Paytm.
Sabina Chopra, Yatra
Gurugram-based online travel agency Yatra.com was co-founded by Sabina Chopra, along with Dhruv Shringi and Manish Amin, in 2006. The company offers a wide range of services like information, pricing, availability, and booking facility for domestic and international air travel, domestic and international hotel bookings, holiday packages, buses, trains, in city activities, inter-city and point-to-point cabs, homestays and cruises.
In September 2017, Yatra.com raised ₹100 crore in debt funding from InnoVen Capital. The travel company also counts Chiratae Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, and Valiant Capital Partners, among its investors.
Subhra Chadda, Chumbak
Bengaluru-based design-led lifestyle brand Chumbak was founded by Subhra Chadda and Vivek Prabhakar in 2010. The brand offers a range of products across categories including apparel, bags, dining, decor, beauty, and gifting, through both online and offline channels.
In November 2017, Chumbak raised ₹85 crore in a venture funding round led by Gaja Capital.
Kanika Tekriwal, JetSetGo
New Delhi-based flight aggregator JetSetGo was founded by Kanika Tekriwal and Sudheer Perla in 2013. The startup provides complete aviation services, from booking a private charter to reaching the destination, to offer high-end experience to its customers.
In December 2015, JetSetGo raised $2 million in funding from Puneet Dalmia, according to Crunchbase.
Neha Juneja, Greenway Grameen
Mumbai-based Greenway Grameen was founded by Neha Juneja and Ankit Mathur. A startup that designs and distributes life-improving products amongst low-income markets. Some of its products solving the critical needs of its users include water purifiers, smart stoves, and little sun solar.
In February 2016, Greenway Grameen raised $2.5 million in funding from Acumen.
Shilpa Sharma, Jaypore
New Delhi-based curated e-commerce marketplace Jaypore was co-founded by Shilpa Sharma, along with Puneet Chawla, in 2011. It enables artisans and craftsmen to sell their exquisite products across various categories like clothing, jewellery, home, and art.
In October 2016, Jaypore last raised $3 million in funding from Aavishkaar Venture Capital.
Akanksha Hazari, m.Paani
m.Paani is a Mumbai-based consumer data, engagement and loyalty startup founded by Akanksha Hazari in 2014. The startup leverages real-time data to generate insights that are used to help its clients with building brand loyalty, increase sales, and provide enhanced customer experience.
In March 2017, m.Paani raised $1.6 million in funding from a clutch of investors including Saha Fund, Chiratae Ventures, Blume Ventures, and Aprameya Radhakrishna.
Ashwini Asokan, Mad Street Den
India and US-based computer vision and AI startup Mad Street Den was founded by Ashwini Asokan, along with her husband Anand Chandrashekran in 2013. The startup’s primary product is Vue.ai, an artificial intelligence and image recognition platform for the apparel industry.
In September 2018, Mad Den Street raised an undisclosed amount of funds from KDDI. It also counts GrowX Venture Management, Exfinity Venture Partners, Array Ventures, and Sequoia Capital India, among its investors.
Aditi Chaurasia, EngineerBabu
Indore-based IT solutions provider EngineerBabu was founded by Aditi Chaurasia, along with Mayank Pratap Singh and Avdhesh Pratap Solanki in 2014. The startup offers mobile and web development solutions to enterprises and startups, strengthing their technology platform.
Earlier in August 2016, EngineerBabu raised an undisclosed amount of funds from Scale Ventures and Guerrilla Ventures.
Supriya Paul, Josh Talks
Gurugram-based Josh Talks was founded by Supriya Paul, along with Shobhit Banga in January 2015. It was established with a view to inspire and enable young India to achieve their goals, by tapping into their latent potential.
Josh Talks provides a multi-lingual platform, offering content in more than 8 Indian languages, including Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Punjabi, apart from Hindi and English. It has not only touched the lives for people living in metropolitans but through the use of local language, it has also penetrated the tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
In November 2017, Josh Talk raised an undisclosed amount of funds from a bunch of angel investors including Girish Mathrubootham of Freshworks, Apurva Chamaria, global brand director at IT services firm HCL, and Rohit Chanana, head of strategy and finance at Hero Corporation.
Mahima Kaul, Coutloot
Mumbai-based fashion recommerce startup Coutloot was founded by Mahima Kaul, along with Jasmeet Thind and Vinit Jain in 2015. The startup provides a platform to enable users to buy and sell pre-owned designer clothes.
In April 2018, Coutloot raised $1 million in a funding round from JadeValue and Artha India Ventures.
Swati Bhargava, Cashkaro
Gurugram-based coupon and cashback platform Cashkaro was founded by two London School of Economics alumni Swati Bhargava and Rohan Bhargava in 2013. The platform enables customers to save money through coupons and cashbacks while shopping on online retailers like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong, and Yatra.
In January 2016, Cashkaro raised an undisclosed amount of funds from Ratan Tata. Earlier in November 2015, the startup raised $3.8 million in a series A funding round led by Kalaari Capital.
Sanna Vohra, The Wedding Brigade
Mumbai-based wedding portal The Wedding Brigade was founded by former Morgan Stanley employee Sanna Vohra in 2014. The wedding portal offers wedding-related services like venue booking, makeup artists, decoration, and photography.
In January 2018, The Wedding Brigade raised $1 million in pre-series A funding round led by Blume Ventures, along with participation from LetsVenture, Czar Capital, Mountain Pine Capital, and Keiretsu Forum.
Priyanka Agarwal & Anshulika Dubey, Wishberry
Mumbai-based crowdfunding startup Wishberry was founded by former McKinsey & Company employees Priyanka Agarwal and Anshulika Dubey in 2012. It provides a reward-based crowdfunding platform to help raise funds for creative projects for filmmakers and other creative artists.
In July 2018, Wishberry raised ₹10 crore in series A funding from Reliance Big Entertainment, Sunil Patil, Director of Scramble Entertainment Ltd, and 3one4 Capital.
Priyanka Gill & Namrata Bostrom, POPxo
New Delhi-based online community for women POPxo was founded by Priyanka Gill and Namrata Bostrom in 2014. The platform curates content for its vast female audience. With the strong user base of 17 million, the platform claims to have 82% women in the age group of 18-35. It provides content in both English and Hindi, engaging the non-English speaking audience to enhance its penetration further into the masses.
In April 2018, POPxo last raised ₹37 crore in a series C funding round led by Neoplux and Oppo, along with participation from Chiratae Ventures, GREE Ventures, and Kalaari Capital.
Tanvi Malik & Shivani Poddar, FabAlley
Noida-based online fashion startup FabAlley was founded by Tanvi Malik and Shivani Poddar in 2012. The startup provides both an online and offline platform for customers to buy curated clothes across categories like tops, dresses, skirts, bottoms, and shorts.
In February 2018, FabAlley raised ₹50 crore in debt funding. The startup counts India Quotient and Indian Angel Network, among its investors.
Disclaimer: The data used in this report is sourced from the official websites and various media reports. The names haven’t been mentioned in any particular order and should not be taken as ranks.
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