#WomenInvestors #IndianStartupEcosystem #ICTDay2024 #InvestingInTech
In the spotlight of ‘International Girls in ICT Day 2024’, celebrated on 25 th April – the focus shifts to the pivotal role of women in India’s dynamic startup landscape. Despite women constituting 40% of high-skill occupations worldwide, their representation in ICT-related fields remains disproportionately low.
India, renowned for hosting the world’s 3rd largest Startup Ecosystem, has witnessed exponential growth in recent years. Technology permeates through the startup domain, playing a central role across various sectors and services.
While startup founders often hog the limelight, the investor community, especially women, remains underexplored. Yet, these women investors are the unsung heroes shaping and fortifying India’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. Beyond funding, they offer invaluable mentorship, guidance, and networks, propelling promising ventures to new heights. The bedrock of a thriving startup ecosystem and community, apart from founders are the investors, who play a critical role in building and shaping these startups.
As we celebrate the strides made by women in ICT and entrepreneurship, let’s shine a spotlight on the remarkable contributions of these tenacious women investors. Their vision, dedication, and investments are not only fueling innovation but also fostering diversity and inclusivity in India’s tech-driven startup arena.
Here is a list of 10 Women Investors working tirelessly in building the Indian Startup Ecosystem:
(Please note the below name order is a random order and doesn’t follow any ranking)
> Aarti Gupta
Aarti Gupta, is an accomplished investment strategist who has been heading her family office, DM Gupta Family, Jagran Group, for over a decade. She is also the Chief Investment Officer atAnikarth Ventures, an angel-investing firm committed to supporting early-stage startups which aim to provide transformative solutions.
Aarti feels strongly for women founders and entrepreneurs and strives to support them through initiatives for women’s financial literacy entrepreneurship and job readiness. She also serves as the the National Head for FICCI FLO Startups, which focuses on women investors and founders. She is also associated with Jindal Stainless Steels as an independent director.
Having completed her PhD in Economics from IIT Kanpur, Master’s in Economics from Northeastern University and a post-graduate diploma course in business studies from Harvard University, she uses her knowledge and investment strategy skills to contribute to several boards of her her family business and startups.
> Archana Jahagirdar
Archana Jahagirdar is at the forefront of changing the game for entrepreneurs and the startup ecosystem in India. As the founder and Managing Partner of Rukam Capital, an early-stage consumer-focused VC fund, she is one of the solo general partners, having carved a niche
among a handful of women founders of venture capital in India and globally.
Top additions to Rukam Capital’s portfolio of startups include Sleepy Owl Coffee, upliance.ai, GoDESi, Burger Singh, Curefoods, Yoho, among others.
Having over 2 decades of experience in the industry, Archana has recently launched Rukam Sitara, a 100 Cr tech fund. Through this fund, she aims to create an ecosystem in India which will position it as a leader in next gen tech globally.
She has previously headed companies like Angelworks, Textron, Espace Corporate. In the past, she has also been associated media organisations such as Business Standard, The Times of India, Zee News, Outlook, and India Today as a journalist.
> Debjani Ghosh
Debjani Ghosh is the President of the National Association of Software & Services Companies (NASSCOM) and the first woman to hold the position in nearly 30 years. She actively engages with the Government and industry stakeholders to accelerate growth and strengthen India’s
position as hub for Innovation and Digital Talent. Her role was instrumental in developing ‘Think Digital, Think India’ strategy.
Over the years Debjani has worked with organisations like CISCO, Intel Corporation and Yes Bank after completing her MBA from S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research and graduation in political science from Osmania University.
Debjani has also received several accolades for her exceptional work in the industry. She was felicitated by the President of India under as part of the ‘First Ladies’ program, was recognised by Vogue as the Tech Leader of the year 2020 and was also listed among India’s most powerful women in tech by Business Today.
> Namita Thapar
Namita Thapar, the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited, is also the India Head of Young Entrepreneurs Academy, Inc. She is also an Angel Investor and a popular Shark from Shark Tank India. She has previously invested in startups like Brandsdaddy, Girgit,
STAGE, Very Much Indian, and Skippi Ice Pops to name a few.
Namita is the recipient of the ET ‘40 under Forty’ award and was also featured in ET’s 2017 Women Ahead List and Business Today’s Most Powerful Women in Business list. She completed her MBA from Fuqua School of Business and is a Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
> Vani Kola
Vani Kola, the founder and managing director of Kalaari Capital a VC firm that invests in early-stage technology-focused startups, is also a board member of CXXO. The firm typically invests in e-commerce, gaming, digital content and healthcare brands like Dream11, Myntra, Cure.fit, and Snapdeal.
Having successfully led more than 30 investments at Kalaari, Vani has been identified as one of Fortune India’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’. She is also involved in supporting organizations for fostering entrepreneurship and women’s leadership. She has previously led companies like Certus Software and RightWorks.
> Kanika Mayar
Kanika Mayar is a partner of Vertex Ventures, which invests in companies like Licious, FirstCry, AsianParent, Warung Pintar and Grab, to name a few. The firm typically infuses money in seed to Series B-stage startups in Southeast Asia and India.
Kanika has almost twenty years of experience in the industry and has previously worked with organisations like TechnoServe, Goldman Sachs and Ernst & Young.
An alumna of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Lady Shree Ram College, Kanika has participated in startup deals like Karkhana.io, Chatty Bao, Onato and Proactive For Her.
> Padmaja Ruparel
Padmaja Ruparel is the Co-Founder of the Indian Angel Network & Founding Partner at IAN Fund, which is a SEBI-registered category II venture capital fund, worth INR 1,000 Cr.
Indian Angel Networks’ has invested in companies like Indium Finance, Elctrifuel, Crest, Sirona Hyginene, Huddle, and Zypp Electric to name a few of the 180 in the company’s portfolio.
Padmaja has been an integral part of the startup ecosystem since 2006. Before starting her journey as a venture capitalist, she has worked as the head of corporate communications at Xansa.
> Falguni Nayar
Falguni Nayar is the founder and CEO of the beauty focused retail brandNykaa. Today, the business has emerged as one of India’s leading beauty retailers playing a critical role in developing the beauty market in India.
She has previously been associated with organisations like AF Ferguson and Co., Kotak Securities and Kotak Mahindra. She completed her MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Bachelor’s of Commerce from Sydenham College.
> Pearl Agarwal
Pearl Agarwal is the founder and managing director of Eximus Ventures, which invests in pre-seed stage companies with an equity cheque of up to $ 500k. The firm has invested in startups like Oyela, Flux, Stan, Fleek, Jar, iTribe, Fego, Zorro, KalaGato, Skydo and Eka.Care.
Pearl is also an Angel Investor who typically invests in gaming, fintech, edtech, SaaS and web3. So far she has invested in over 15 startups including GroMo, Redwing Labs, BluSmart Mobility, Trell and InFeedo.
Pearl has been a part of the industry since 2012 and has worked with organisations like UTIMCO, Merrill Lynch, Global Infrastructure Partners, and DotReview.
> Renuka Ramnath
Renuka Ramnath is the Founder, MD and CEO of Multiples Alternate Asset Management. Founded in 2009, Multiples is an independent, India focused private equity firm that manages a USD 2 billion private equity capital. The firm has mad investments in businesses like Tata
Infomedia, VA TechWabag and Air Deccan.
Renuka has an experience of over four decades in the industry. She has held multiple positions at ICICI Group and ICICI Ventures after completing her Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School, Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Mumbai and Bachelor’s of Engineering from VeermataJeejabai Technological Institute.
She has been recognized in Business Today’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business list, Economic Times’ India’s most Powerful CEO’s and Forbes’ Asia’s Women in the Mix: The Year’s Top 50 for Achievement in Business. She is also the recipient of Bombay Management Association’s Management Woman Achiever of the Year Award 2015.
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
Poonam Sinha
