Equal participation of men in a child’s upbringing is important - Naiyya Saggi of BabyChakra
“Younger startups are facing economic challenges to accommodate a mother when she calls for a maternity leave - this is a good problem to have,” quipped Naiyya Saggi, Founder of BabyChakra while speaking on ‘Baby Steps to the Big Leap,’ at the 9th edition of YourStory’s flagship TechSparks.
Mumbai-based BabyChakra offers pregnancy-related tips and parenting advice, and acts as a forum for parents to interact and exchange information. It currently has two million monthly users with 70 percent from Tier II and Tier III towns.
Naiyya Saggi, who recently raised an undisclosed amount in pre-Series-B round, spoke on how moms can mean business.
She said that in today’s age and time, startup founders have to keep in mind the growing needs of people and constantly work on bettering the service. “The desperation to stand apart is way stronger in today’s generation,” she said.
Drawing parallels between how a father looks after the child and how a mother does, she quickly pointed out to the male population in the audience to reiterate the need for equal participation by men in a child’s upbringing.
She further added that the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, which was rolled out in March 2017, only makes way for mothers. In western countries, both the parents are allowed to take leave and the facilities are more accommodating from the government itself. Though India has taken its first step with the act, smaller enterprises and startups are yet to leverage on this without compromising on their economical challenges, she said.
Also read: Naiyya Saggi's 5-year plan: to see BabyChakra as the trusted companion to every young parent
From bootstrapped to funded- Naiyya Saggi’s journey with BabyChakra
An MBA graduate from Harvard Business School, she further added that the government policies have to be rethought, keeping in mind the healthcare emergencies every family might be exposed to.
“Not just in childcare, many times we forget that we are caring for all the people as well as not just a newborn. There must be well structured policies related to hospitals for all the family members, without compromising on a woman’s career goals,” she added.
YourStory's annual extravaganza TechSparks brings together the best and the brightest from the startup ecosystem, corporate world, policymakers, and of course, the investor community. Over the years, it has grown to become India's most loved tech and startup platform for knowledge sharing and networking. The ninth edition of TechSparks also marks YourStory's 10th anniversary. A big thank you for all your support over the years and keep reading and watching YourStory.