(L-R)- Vineeta Singh, Aarti Gill, Prukalpa Sankar, Vaidehi Shah and Sneha Raisoni
Their ventures often address unique challenges and opportunities, reflecting diverse perspectives and innovative approaches. From tech startups to social enterprises, women-led businesses contribute to economic growth, drive innovation, and foster inclusivity. While certain challenges persist in the larger startup ecosystem, these have not stopped women from proving their might and becoming true bellwethers of change. Here is a list of women entrepreneurs that are making significant strides and breaking barriers across various industries, all while inspiring countless minds in their relentless pursuit for excellence. Note: This is not an exhaustive list or ranking of any kind.
Vineeta Singh
Widely recognised for her appearance on Shark Tank India, Vineeta Singh is the cofounder and CEO of beauty and personal care brand SUGAR Cosmetics. Singh is a serial entrepreneur and also founded FAB BAG, a beauty and grooming subscription startup. Her visibility on Shark Tank India has catapulted her to fame, and she has subsequently become an investor in several Indian startups featured on the show. As an angel investor, Singh has invested in startups like Padcare Labs, JhaJi Store, Snitch, and Josh Talks.
She is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. The famous Shark is widely recognised for turning down an INR 1 Cr job offer from top investment bank Deutsche Bank during campus placements to pursue her entrepreneurial passion.
Aarti Gill
Aarti Gill is the cofounder and CEO of plant-based wellness startup OZiva. Founded in 2016, along with Mihir Gadani, the D2C brand sells products across categories such as women's health, skincare, haircare, and general wellness. An alumna of IIT Roorkee and INSEAD, Gill initially worked with financial services company Capital One but soon changed tracks and took the entrepreneurial plunge. In 2015, Gill and Gadani founded their startup FitCircle-a Facebook messenger-based fitness consulting platform that connected members with experts to help the former achieve fitness goals through personalised workouts and diet plans.
The duo saw a major whitespace in the âclean' nutrition products market and launched the D2C brand OZiva in 2016. Later in 2022, FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever announced the acquisition of a 51% equity stake, and eventually the remaining 49%, in the startup via a combination of primary infusion and secondary buyouts.
Prukalpa Sankar
Prukalpa Sankar cofounded SaaS startup Atlan, along with Varun Banka, in 2018. The enterprise tech platform allows teams to collaborate on projects and help create a single source for all data assets on its platform. Prior to launching Atlan, Sankar cofounded SocialCops in 2013, a web and mobile platform aimed at fostering connectivity and collaboration within cities. As a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer, Sankar also harbours aspirations of becoming a published author. Her writings span various topics, including data teams, culture, metadata & data governance 3.0, startups, and leadership. She has an engineering degree from Nanyang Technological University Singapore.
Vaidehi Shah and Sneha Raisoni
Vaidehi Shah and Sneha Raisoni are the visionaries behind Plan B-India's premier D2C kids' innerwear brand. Their bond goes back to their college days, where they forged a friendship that eventually led them to pursue careers as Chartered Accountants and later as investment bankers in Mumbai. Sneha's entrepreneurial journey began in 2009 with the launch of the popular Tappu Ki Dukaan, a store that brought Mumbai a fresh wave of quirky lifestyle products. Vaidehi's inspiration came from motherhood, which revealed a gap in the market for high-quality kids underwear. Together, they founded Plan B, offering parents an online alternative to conventional retail options. Despite lacking experience in the apparel and e-commerce sectors, they built the brand from the ground up. Today, Plan B serves children from 6 months to 14 years old, providing an extensive selection of innerwear, sleepwear, and activewear, all designed and produced in-house in Mumbai. The brand successfully completed its first funding round in June 2024.
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