The investment game across the globe has always been a male-dominated field. However, with time the market is seeing more and more confident women entering the investment arena. The case has been no different in India as well. Even during the pandemic, India has seen a rise in the number of women, especially due to monetary gains and the idea of financial independence. Even though the numbers and popularity are very small, there is no doubt that it is a good start. This article will introduce the readers to some of the top women investors in India who have made a significant mark through their prudent investments. In this post, We’ll talk about the 10 Indian Women Investors in Indian Startup Ecosystem.
Gone are the days when women were quite hesitant to enter the investment game. Women are more willing to make strategic investments to generate profits and develop financial security for themselves. Nowadays, more and more women investors are emerging in the Indian market. Some of the most popular women investors in India are:
Top Indian Women Investors in Startup Ecosystem in 2024:
Hey everyone, buckle up because we're about to dive into the amazing world of startup superheroes! But wait, this time, we're shining the spotlight on the awesome Indian women who are rocking the startup scene in 2024. Yep, you heard it right – these ladies are not just breaking glass ceilings, they're smashing them into a million pieces!
1. Vani Kola
Vani Kola is the Founder and Managing Director of Kalaari Capital, one of India’s leading early-stage venture capital firms. After finishing her engineering in India, she moved to the United States to pursue her successful career as an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. When she came back to India in 2006, she saw growth opportunities in the field of investment. She is a proponent of India's digital opportunity to create the next generation of large-scale companies that will scale globally.
Vani has successfully led more than 30 investments at Kalaari in e-commerce, gaming, digital content, healthcare, and more. Some of her successes include Dream11, Myntra, and Cure. fit, and Snapdeal. Vani currently serves on the board of several companies that are redefining the landscape of Indian business.
Come and explore about the Insurtech Startups in India and step into the future of insurance with us.
2. Bharati Jacob
An alumnus of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and XLRI-Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, 54-year-old Bharti Jacob has quietly built a stellar reputation for herself over the past two decades for her ability to cherry-pick and invest in entrepreneurship. Ideas that solve domestic issues.
She is also the co-founder and managing partner of Seedfund Advisors, a venture capitalist firm based in Bengaluru. Today her firm provides full support to newcomers by helping them. Along with this, the company also helps them with networking. She has invested in companies like Vatsalya, Redbus, Sportskeeda, Edusports, Axisrooms, etc.
Discover the pinnacle of EV financing excellence with our comprehensive guide to the top EV financing companies in India and get valuable information.
3. Sakshi Chopra
Sakshi Chopra is the Managing Director at Sequoia Capital India Before joining Sequoia Capital India, Sakshi worked at Deutsche Bank in India and Germany with Global Transaction Banking focusing on Mid Cap clients and as Executive Assistant to Members of the Management Board and Head of Private and Business Clients, Deutsche Bank Group.
She's launched a new program at Sequoia which will select 15 female founders and provide them with a $100,000 no-strings-attached sum of money, along with a year-long mentorship program and network expertise. Her, primary areas of investment are consumer products and services. She invested in Ladies who lead and Purple.
Unlock the potential of India's agricultural revolution with our curated list of the top agritech startups reshaping the future of farming in the nation.
4. Padmaja Ruparel
Padmaja Ruparel is a Co-Founder of the Indian Angel Network & Founding Partner of the IAN Fund. IAN has investments in over 10 countries with over 400 investors. It is one of the largest seed and early-stage investment platforms in India. Today, the market value of all the companies profiled by IAN will reach US$ 4 billion.
Through IAN, she made highly diversified and dynamic investments in companies across 20 sectors and 7 countries. Apart from SAAS, D2C, focus on sustainability, and technological enablement in healthcare, finance, agriculture, the space sector, and manufacturing technology while investments have been made in drones, biotech, pharma, med-devices, etc.
She has been recognized as "Most Powerful Women" by Fortune India for 4 years, W-Power Trailblazer by Forbes India, and "30 Most Powerful Women" by Business Today for 3 years. Women's Economic Forum honored me with the "Women of the Decade in Investment Banking" award.
Elevate your expectations with our exclusive guide to the top drone startups soaring high in India's dynamic aerospace industry.
5. Bala Deshpande
Bala Deshpande is the Senior Managing Director of New Enterprise Associates (India), a venture capital firm since 2008. She has completed her post-graduation in Economics from the University of Mumbai. She also holds a Master's degree in Management Studies from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.
She has 14 years of private equity experience Where he has seen nurturing young companies, buybacks, capital market divestments, and more. she invested in Air Works, Panacea Medical, MediSys, Naaptol, Nova, GreytHR, and Intelligence Node.
Powering the future of mobility, explore our list of top EV charging startups leading the charge towards sustainable transportation solutions.
6. Ankita Vasishtha
Ankita Vashistha is the founder and CEO of India's (and Asia's) first venture capital fund Saha Fund and StrongHer Ventures which invests in and promotes technology and innovation as well as women entrepreneurship.
The objective behind this special fund is to promote and expand successful businesses that have women leaders, women employees, or women consumers as a focus; in healthcare, brands, artificial intelligence (AI), financial services, analytics, and cyber security. She is also the Founder and Managing Director of StrongHer.
She invests in Uniphore, LoveLocal, Pretty Secrets, Inner Chef, Consure, GoCoop, Zumata, Leap.Club, Licious, Luxola, Fitternity.
Embark on your journey to professional growth with our handpicked selection of the best internship websites in India, tailored to elevate your career aspirations.
7. Nita Mirchandani
Being one of the first women venture capitalists in India, Nita Mirchandani has more than 30 years of experience in the market. She is the founder of KAE Capital, a venture capital firm primarily focused on early-stage companies that offer efficient and relevant solutions to existing problems in the market. Apart from this, the company also helps startups with their operational, strategic, and financial issues.
Before this, She worked with HDFC Securities and JM Morgan Stanley primarily in the area of equity research. Nita has done her Masters and graduated in Economics from the London School of Economics. She is an investor in various fast-growing startups such as InMobi, Innovcare, Squadron, and iGenetics.
Experience the electric revolution firsthand with our curated selection of the best EV startups in India, driving innovation towards a sustainable future on Indian roads.
8. Dr Anu Gupta
Dr. Anu Gupta holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, and was previously trained as a physician pathologist. She is listed as one of "the Top Inspiring Women Investors" in the Indian startup ecosystem (MBBS MD Pathology). Anu has worked as a doctor, a drug scientist, an entrepreneur, and an angel investor throughout her fascinating path.
With her broad background in the international pharmaceutical sector and Indian hospitals, Dr. Anu gives a unique perspective. Dr. Anu worked as a pathologist at Apollo Hospitals and Safdarjung Hospital. Later, she joined the R&D section of Novartis, a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical firm, where she oversaw worldwide clinical trials from the company's headquarters in Switzerland and held a number of senior positions in the India global office.
Dive into the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with our curated collection of the top Ayurvedic startups in India, blending tradition with innovation to promote holistic wellness in the modern age.
9. Raakhe Kapoor Tandon
The founder of the financial services holding company ART Capital (India) Pvt. Ltd. is Raakhe Kapoor Tandon. Raakhe's career goal is to develop as a self-sufficient financial entrepreneur and to create comprehensive businesses that are fueled by originality, creativity, and the highest caliber of human resources.
Raakhe established two businesses under ART Capital: ART Housing Finance (India) Pvt. Ltd., which offers long-term mortgage financing to retail clients, and Rural Agri Ventures India Pvt. Ltd., an incubation/project development company specialising in rural and agricultural verticals.
The Indian School of Management & Entrepreneurship (ISME), the premier institution of Entrepreneurial Studies in Midtown Mumbai, is Raakhe's most recent endeavour. ISME was founded on the foundation of a forward-thinking and innovative curriculum to produce human capital for the future.
Navigate the entrepreneurial journey with ease by tuning in to our curated selection of the best YouTube channels tailored for startup founders, offering invaluable insights, guidance, and inspiration to fuel your success.
10. Ritu Verma
Ankur Capital is led by Ritu Verma, who is also one of the company's co-founders and managing partners. She spent ten years working at Unilever and Philips, where she was responsible for delivering innovations developed in laboratories to consumer markets.
Additionally, she has worked on a global scale investing in green technology lead by intellectual property. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a doctorate in physics and from INSEAD with an MBA.
She invests in CropIn, ERC, HealthSutra, Big Haat, Niramai, Tessol, Suma Agro, Karma Healthcare, Skillveri.
We hope this is useful to you. The order of this list is random.
Dive deeper into the nuances of agricultural commerce: while Online Mandis prioritize direct farmer-consumer connections, Commodity Trading Companies specialize in the global trading landscape.