Women-led Indian Startups are making headlines around the world 

More and more women are pursuing the entrepreneurial dream and seeing success in their businesses as a result of the steady advancements in the Indian startup ecosystem. Other Indian women who are still restricted to the conventional role of homemaker are becoming empowered to think independently as a result of this. But according to new research, only two Indian cities are among the top 50 places in the world for women to work.

Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, came in at number 40, while Delhi came in at number 49. Just 14% of Indian enterprises are owned and operated by women, according to the National Sample Survey.

Some women have achieved greater success than one might anticipate in a restrictive environment, such as India, where the majority of women are not encouraged to dream large, particularly in the country’s rural areas.

Aditi Gupta- Menstrupedia 

Menstrupedia, which aims to raise knowledge about menstruation, was co-founded by social-cause entrepreneur Aditi Gupta. She is regarded as one of India’s most prosperous female entrepreneurs. She and her husband, Tuhin Paul, founded the business.

Her personal encounters with this alleged taboo served as the impetus for the endeavor. She frequently had to endure the agony of menstruation without any assistance to lessen the discomfort.

She decided to make a website about menstruation, replete with images and illustrations, to educate women about periods after discovering that many women shared her struggles. Girls and women who want to learn more about menstruation have taken a keen interest in Menstrupedia.

In an effort to dispel certain myths regarding this normal occurrence, Aditi keeps educating women about menstruation hygiene. She is undoubtedly one of the jewels who aspires to contribute to society.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw- Biocon

One of India’s most admired female entrepreneurs is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. She is an Indian millionaire entrepreneur and the founder and executive chairman of the well-known biotechnology company Biocon, situated in Bangalore. Kiran Shaw is in charge of Biocon’s current level of growth and extensive expansion, and her conviction that “affordable innovation” is crucial was crucial in this situation.

She defied several preconceptions while working at United Breweries before branching out into biopharmaceuticals. Shaw studied brewing at Ballarat College, Melbourne University, after graduating from Bangalore University. She excelled in her coursework and earned a master’s degree in brewing in 1975.

Ghazal Alagh- Mamaearth

Ghazal Alagh, the co-founder of Mamaearth, should be listed among the most prosperous Indian women entrepreneurs. She is well-known for being one of the female entrepreneurs who sits on the judges’ panel of the renowned Shark Tank India show, in addition to being the head of Mamaearth alongside her husband, Varun Alagh. She is among India’s most well-known businesswomen.

Ghazal Alagh holds a BCA in IT from Punjab University. Shaw later attended the New York Academy of Art after enrolling in a Summer Intensive Course at the School of Visual Arts. She presently works with Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. (Mamaearth) as the Chief Mama, Chief Innovation Officer, and Co-Founder.

Malika Sadani- The Moms Co.

The founder and CEO of The Moms Co., a well-known domestic brand for toxin-free, natural, and efficient goods for prenatal and postnatal care, babies, and conscientious customers looking for personal care solutions, is Malika Sadani, a former banker who turned entrepreneur.

When Sadani returned to India from the UK after having her first child, she found it challenging to locate high-quality, chemical-free items. The market for baby care had a significant void that had not yet been filled. She is among India’s top 20 female entrepreneurs.

She has set out on a quest to assist moms in India and throughout the world in making decisions that are safe for themselves and their loved ones with The Moms Co. Although The Moms Co. is a local firm, all of its goods are certified in Australia, and the team collaborates with professionals from all around the world.

Falguni Nayar- Nykaa

One of India’s most prosperous female businesswomen, Falguni Nayar, founded Nykaa, a store selling cosmetics. She abruptly announced her leave to follow her passion after working for Kotak Mahindra for 20 years as a merchant and venture investor. With more than 850 companies, Nykaa offers rich content via blogs, videos, and active social media participation. In addition to effectively operating an internet business, Nykaa has opened 35 physical locations. She is among India’s most well-known businesswomen.

Nykaa has also been at the forefront of introducing global luxury brands to India, providing Indian consumers with a wide range of options for goods and services.

Suchi Mukherjee- Limeroad

In 2012, Suchi Mukherjee established LimeRoad. Products are shared and sold on the social commerce website LimeRoad. The women’s community is the direct aim of these offerings. The fashion platform with the fastest growth right now is LimeRoad. Suchi Mukherjee earned her master’s degree in economics and finance in London after studying economics at the School of Cambridge. She served as a managing director at Gumtree, an executive management team member at Skype, and a member of the early eBay team that established the UK business.

At the 2010 World Women’s Forum in Paris, she was one of 15 women who were chosen as one of the “Rising Talent – Global Leaders Under 40” for her work growing consumer technology-related enterprises.

Vani Kola- Kalaari Capital

Kalaari Capital was founded by Vani Kola, who also serves as its managing director. One of the top early-stage venture capital firms in India is Kalaari Capital. At Kalaari, Vani has effectively led over 30 investments in a variety of industries, including digital content, gaming, e-commerce, and healthcare. Among her accomplishments are Dream11, Snapdeal, Myntra, and Cure.fit. Vani serves on the boards of multiple businesses that are changing the face of Indian industry.

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Featured in many books, Vani Kola is one of Fortune India’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Business.’ Additionally, she supports a number of groups that promote women’s leadership and business.

Nisaba Godrej- Godrej Consumer Products

Nisaba serves as Godrej Consumer Products’ executive chairperson. Nisaba holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She was a major contributor to the strategy and transformation of GCPL during the past ten years.

The market value of GCPL has grown twentyfold in the past ten years, and the company has built a solid, motivated, and aspirational workforce. It is frequently listed as one of the greatest places to work.

She has kept the group’s principles at the forefront while transforming Godrej into a more meritocratic and performance-driven enterprise. She leads the “good & green” initiative of the Godrej group, which promotes sustainable and inclusive growth.

Richa Kar- Zivame

Richa Kar started her career in the field of information technology. But after earning her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the prestigious Narsee Monte Institute of Management Studies, she started working at Spencer’s, where the idea for the women’s clothing brand Zivame was born. Richa decided to use her personal funds to launch Zivame in 2011 after spotting a need for an online lingerie company through her job.

Richa obtained her first investment of US$3 million for Zivame in May 2012. Since then, the business has grown significantly, adding physical locations to its operations in addition to its online store. With a current valuation of US$13.6 million, Zivame has been instrumental in breaking down the taboos around lingerie purchasing in India and making comfortable products accessible to all women.

Vineeta Singh- Sugar Cosmetics

After completing an MBA at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Vineeta Singh started her career with internships at ITC and Deutsche Bank. As she advanced into senior positions in HR and e-learning, she refined her abilities in a variety of sectors. Singh made a daring foray into business in 2015 when he founded Sugar Cosmetics, which quickly grew into a powerful cosmetic conglomerate. She is among India’s top 50 female entrepreneurs.

Vineeta now has an estimated net worth of $36 million.

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