Women Founders Behind India’s Unicorn Startups: Breaking Barriers in Tech

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In recent years, India’s startup ecosystem has witnessed remarkable growth, with numerous startups achieving the coveted unicorn status – startups valued at over $1 billion. What’s particularly inspiring is the increasing number of women founders of Indian unicorn startups, breaking barriers and reshaping India’s entrepreneurial landscape.

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Falguni Nayar – NYKAA

Top Women Led Unicorn Startups in India - Falguni Nayar - NYKAA
Falguni Nayar – NYKAA | Top Women Led Unicorn Startups in India

Falguni Nayar transformed India’s beauty retail landscape by founding NYKAA, an e-commerce platform that has revolutionized how Indians shop for beauty and personal care products.

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After a successful career in investment banking, she launched NYKAA in 2012 at the age of 50, proving that entrepreneurship has no age limit. Under her leadership, NYKAA has grown from an online platform to an omnichannel retailer with a vast portfolio of beauty and lifestyle products, making it one of India’s most successful women-led unicorns.

Ghazal Alagh – Mamaearth

Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women - Ghazal Alagh - Mamaearth
Ghazal Alagh – Mamaearth | Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women

Ghazal Alagh co-founded Mamaearth with a mission to provide toxin-free personal care products for babies and adults. Identifying a gap in the market for natural, chemical-free products, she built Mamaearth into a household name that resonates with conscious consumers.

Her innovative approach to product development and marketing has transformed Mamaearth into a unicorn startup that champions safe, sustainable personal care solutions.

Rajoshi Ghosh – HASURA

Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns - Rajoshi Ghosh - HASURA
Rajoshi Ghosh – HASURA | Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns

Rajoshi Ghosh revolutionized the developer tools landscape with HASURA, a platform that makes data access easy and efficient for developers.

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As co-founder, she has been instrumental in building a product that simplifies database operations and API development, making it an essential tool for modern application development. Under her leadership, HASURA has gained global recognition and achieved unicorn status.

Priyanka Gill & Naiyya Saggi – The Good Glamm Group

Top Women Led Unicorn Startups in India - Priyanka Gill & Naiyya Saggi - The Good Glamm Group
Priyanka Gill & Naiyya Saggi – The Good Glamm Group | Top Women Led Unicorn Startups in India

The dynamic duo of Priyanka Gill and Naiyya Saggi have built The Good Glamm Group into a content-to-commerce powerhouse.

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Their innovative approach combines content creation with direct-to-consumer beauty and personal care products, creating a unique ecosystem that engages and serves millions of consumers. Their leadership has transformed the traditional beauty industry model in India.

Dr. Garima Sawhney – Pristyn Care

Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women - Dr. Garima Sawhney - Pristyn Care
Dr. Garima Sawhney – Pristyn Care | Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women

Dr. Garima Sawhney co-founded Pristyn Care to make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable. As a medical professional turned entrepreneur, she has leveraged technology to build a network of healthcare providers offering superior surgical care.

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Her vision has helped Pristyn Care become a unicorn while addressing crucial gaps in India’s healthcare system.

Upasana Taku – MobiKwik

Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns - Upasana Taku - MobiKwik
Upasana Taku – MobiKwik | Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns

Upasana Taku co-founded MobiKwik, pioneering digital payments in India. Her leadership has been crucial in transforming MobiKwik from a digital wallet into a comprehensive fintech platform offering various financial services.

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Through her vision, MobiKwik has become a key player in India’s digital payment revolution, serving millions of users and merchants.

Gazal Kalra – Rivigo

Top Women Led Unicorn Startups in India - Gazal Kalra - Rivigo
Gazal Kalra – Rivigo | Top Women Led Unicorn Startups in India

Gazal Kalra co-founded Rivigo with a mission to transform India’s logistics sector.

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Her innovative relay trucking model has not only improved efficiency in logistics but also enhanced the quality of life for truck drivers. Under her leadership, Rivigo has revolutionized the freight industry while achieving unicorn status.

Ruchi Kalra – OfBusiness

Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women - Ruchi Kalra - OfBusiness
Ruchi Kalra – OfBusiness | Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women

Ruchi Kalra founded OfBusiness to revolutionize B2B commerce and lending in India. Her platform combines procurement of raw materials with credit solutions, addressing a crucial gap in the market.

Through her leadership, OfBusiness has achieved unicorn status while transforming how small and medium enterprises conduct business.

Smita Deorah – LEAD School

Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns - Smita Deorah - LEAD School
Smita Deorah – LEAD School | Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns

Smita Deorah co-founded LEAD School with a vision to transform education in India. Her innovative approach combines technology with pedagogical expertise to improve learning outcomes in schools.

Under her leadership, LEAD has become a unicorn while making quality education more accessible to millions of students.

Mabel Chacko & Deena Jacob – Open

Best Women Led Unicorn Startups in India - Mabel Chacko & Deena Jacob - Open
Mabel Chacko & Deena Jacob – Open | Best Women Led Unicorn Startups in India

The partnership of Mabel Chacko and Deena Jacob has made Open a leading neo-banking platform for small businesses.

Their vision has transformed how businesses handle banking, payments, and expense management. Through their leadership, Open has achieved unicorn status while simplifying financial operations for millions of entrepreneurs.

Ruchi Deepak – ACKO

Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women - Ruchi Deepak - ACKO
Ruchi Deepak – ACKO | Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women

Ruchi Deepak co-founded ACKO to disrupt India’s insurance sector through digital-first solutions. Her innovative approach to insurance has made it more accessible and user-friendly for digital-native consumers.

Under her leadership, ACKO has achieved unicorn status while transforming how Indians buy and manage insurance.

Srividhya Srinivasan – Amagi

Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns - Srividhya Srinivasan - Amagi
Srividhya Srinivasan – Amagi | Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns

Srividhya Srinivasan co-founded Amagi, revolutionizing how media companies deliver content globally.

Her technological innovation has transformed the broadcast and streaming industry, enabling content owners to reach audiences worldwide efficiently. Through her leadership, Amagi has achieved unicorn status while reshaping the media technology landscape.

Rashmi Verma – MapmyIndia

Best Women Led Unicorn Startups in India - Rashmi Verma - MapmyIndia
Rashmi Verma – MapmyIndia | Best Women Led Unicorn Startups in India

Rashmi Verma co-founded MapmyIndia, pioneering digital mapping solutions in India. Her vision has transformed how businesses and consumers navigate and use location-based services.

Through her leadership, MapmyIndia has achieved unicorn status while building India’s leading digital mapping ecosystem.

Shagufta Anurag – Livspace

Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women - Shagufta Anurag - Livspace
Shagufta Anurag – Livspace | Top Unicorn Startups Founded by Women

Shagufta Anurag founded Livspace to revolutionize how people design and renovate their homes. Her platform connects homeowners with interior designers and vendors, creating a seamless home improvement experience.

Under her leadership, Livspace has achieved unicorn status while transforming the interior design and home renovation industry.

Kavitha Subramanian – Upstox

Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns - Kavitha Subramanian - Upstox
Kavitha Subramanian – Upstox | Best Women Founders of Indian Unicorns

Kavitha Subramanian co-founded Upstox to democratize stock market investing in India.

Her vision has made trading and investing more accessible to millions of Indians through user-friendly digital platforms. Through her leadership, Upstox has achieved unicorn status while transforming the retail investing landscape.

Saritha Katikaneni – Zenoti

Saritha Katikaneni built Zenoti into a leading software platform for the beauty and wellness industry.

Her vision has transformed how salons and spas manage their operations, from booking to inventory management. Under her leadership, Zenoti has achieved unicorn status while expanding globally.

As India’s startup ecosystem continues to evolve, these women founders of Indian unicorns are paving the way for future generations. Their success stories serve as powerful examples of what can be achieved through innovation, persistence, and leadership, regardless of gender.

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The rise of women-led unicorn startups in India represents a significant shift in the country’s entrepreneurial landscape. These female founders are not just building successful companies; they’re reshaping industries, creating value, and inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs. Their achievements highlight the importance of diverse leadership in driving innovation and economic growth in India’s startup ecosystem.

FAQs: Women Founders & Indian Unicorns

What is a unicorn startup?

A privately held startup company valued at $1 billion or more. India has emerged as one of the world’s largest unicorn hubs, with several women-led companies achieving this milestone.

How many Indian unicorns have women founders?

As of 2024, India has more than 15 unicorn startups with women founders or co-founders, including companies like NYKAA, Mamaearth, MobiKwik, and Pristyn Care.

Which sectors do these women-led unicorns represent?

These unicorns span diverse sectors including e-commerce (NYKAA), personal care (Mamaearth), fintech (MobiKwik), healthcare (Pristyn Care), and edtech (LEAD School).

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