Key Points
India hosts 7,000+ active women-led startups nationwide
Bengaluru leads in startup count and total funding
Retail sector attracts highest women-led startup investments
Funding ecosystem shows promising growth trajectory
India is home to over 7,000 active women-led startups, accounting for 7.5 per cent of all active startups in the country.
These startups have collectively raised $26.4 billion in funding, with 2021 being the highest funded year at $6.3 billion, according to data by Tracxn, a leading startup research and analytics firm.
Bengaluru leads in both the number of women-led startups and total funding raised to date, followed by Mumbai and Delhi-NCR.
On a global scale, 2022 saw the highest funding contribution from Indian startups at 15.18%. That year, women-led startups in India raised $5 billion, compared to $32.8 billion globally.
In 2024, India ranked third globally in terms of funding raised by startups co-led by women, after the US and the UK, accounting for 3.96 per cent of funding raised by women-led startups across the globe.
The retail sector takes a strong lead based on investments raised by women-led startups, securing $7.8 billion in all-time funding. Edtech ($5.4 billion) and Enterprise Applications ($5 billion) follow closely.
Notably, sub-sectors such as B2C e-commerce, internet-first brands, and fashion tech are seeing significant activity, with several startups co-led by women, the report noted.
The highest number of acquisitions of women-led startups was recorded in 2021, with 45 acquisitions. However, this number declined by 20 per cent to 36 in 2022, and further decreased by 30.5 per cent to 25 in 2023. In 2024, the number of acquisitions fell to 16.
"These startups are not only securing massive funding but also redefining industries, generating employment, and setting new benchmarks for future entrepreneurs," said the report.
While the startup ecosystem still has a long way to go in bridging the gender funding gap, these trailblazers are proving that women-led startups are driving India's growth story.
