India’s startup sector is booming, but female leaders are being left behind. Despite progress in some areas, the overall representation and success of women in the industry still lag behind their male counterparts. A recent survey by Aon on gender and pay equity highlights how sectors like Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and technology consulting and services are working to narrow the gender gap.
Nonetheless, many women find themselves confined to traditionally ‘soft’ roles within these organizations. Women in the Indian startup ecosystem face unique challenges that their male counterparts often do not. Success tends to take longer and costs more for women due to various systemic barriers.
These barriers range from biased mobility opportunities to entrenched monopolies that favor conformity over diversity. Even when women possess the right qualifications and pedigree, they often find it insufficient to break through the male-dominated venture capital scene. This “boys’ club” of funding further perpetuates the cycle, making it difficult for female-led startups to gain the necessary financial backing.
India’s innovation economy, while progressive in many respects, still operates under old norms and practices that do not favor female leadership. As the country continues to push forward in technological advancements and economic growth, addressing these gender imbalances remains critical for truly inclusive progress. By the end of 2024, more than half (50.2%) of all recognized startups in India had at least one woman director.
This is a significant increase from just over a third in 2017.
Women face unique startup challenges
Under the Startup India initiative, the number of recognized startups reached 1,57,706 by 2024, creating more than 1.7 million direct jobs.
Despite the rise in female directors, their overall share in Board of Director (BoD) roles increased only marginally, from 26% in 2017 to 29% in 2025. The number of male directors rose from 1.29 million in 2017 to 2.26 million in 2025, while the number of female directors nearly doubled—from 450,000 to 910,000. In senior management roles, women’s presence grew from 14% in 2017 to 17% in 2025.
For other management positions, the share of women increased from 26% to 29%. Women hold only 7% of executive positions across 121 unicorns, according to data shared by the staffing consultancy firm Longhouse. These roles include founders, cofounders, and C-suite leadership positions such as chief product officers and chief technology officers.
Beyond C-suite positions, women occupy about 14% of c-1 level roles, including vice presidents and senior VPs who oversee major tech functions and strategic initiatives. Additionally, some women also hold c-2 level roles like heads, directors, or equivalent mid-management positions, where they lead teams, drive execution, and contribute to innovation. SaaS (software-as-a-service) and deeptech ventures are leading the way, with 31% of leadership positions held by women.
E-commerce and D2C startups follow with 28% representation, and fintech emerges as the third largest sector with 17% representation of women leaders. However, industries such as foodtech (8%), media & entertainment (7%), and travel (5%) have comparatively lower representation. Nearly 40% of the women leaders in startup unicorns come from corporate and other industries.
This suggests that startups value experienced professionals’ leadership skills and strategic expertise over prior startup exposure.
Photo by; Humphrey M on Unsplash