Inside the rise of India’s AI-driven women founders who are powering innovation with purpose

Every startup begins with a “what if.” For Namya Mahajan, it was what if every child had an equal start in life? For Shreya Prakash, it was what if every woman could find meaningful work on her own terms?

Those questions sparked two of India’s most inspiring ventures — Rocket Learning and FlexiBees — and a larger movement of women founders who are using technology to solve real problems at scale. Backed by purpose and powered by innovation, these leaders are proving that progress isn’t just about breaking barriers, but about building what comes after: companies that empower, include, and transform.

Recognised by the Aurora Tech Award for their impressive results and groundbreaking impact, their journeys exemplify how technology, when combined with empathy and vision, can create lasting social change.

Building technology for real-world change

For Namya Mahajan, innovation starts with equity. Her nonprofit Rocket Learning is transforming early childhood education for low-income families by combining digital tools with behavioural insights. The result: a scalable model that reaches one in four Indian villages, helping 75% of children become school-ready by age six — compared to 50% in traditional setups.

“Technology allows us to close learning gaps at scale,” says Mahajan. “But the real goal is to give every child an equal start in life.”

Meanwhile, FlexiBees, led by Shreya Prakash and her all-women founding team, is rewriting the rules of modern work. The platform connects women professionals seeking flexible opportunities with businesses in need of on-demand expertise. With a talent pool of 100,000 women and 950+ client businesses, FlexiBees is using AI to match roles in hours, proving that flexibility and productivity can thrive together.

“We’re not just creating jobs,” says Prakash. “We’re creating possibilities for women, for businesses, and for the economy.”

Beyond recognition: A network for growth

For both founders, the Aurora Tech Award wasn’t just about recognition but also about acceleration. “The Aurora community helped us strengthen our narrative, connect with global mentors, and refine our business vision,” shares Prakash.

Mahajan echoes the sentiment: “Through Aurora, we built our AI-for-Good program to personalise learning. It’s a network that truly invests in founders who are building with purpose.”

The award is built around three pillars—capital, connection, and community—to enable women-led tech startups to scale with ownership and purpose. Each prize is non-dilutive capital, ensuring founders retain full control while gaining vital runway for growth. Winners also gain warm introductions to partner VCs, global mentorship, and access to a supportive community of women tech leaders: a space to collaborate, share experiences, and grow together.

The funding gap and the momentum shift

The narrative that women entrepreneurs receive less than 2% of venture capital funding has been widely circulated. In India, where women account for around 18% of startup founders, access to capital remains limited but the tide is turning.

India’s startup ecosystem has crossed 100,000 registered startups and 100+ unicorns, and nearly 48% of these companies now have at least one woman in leadership, signalling a slow but steady shift toward inclusivity.

For founders like Mahajan and Prakash, early recognition programs like Aurora play a critical role as catalysts in sustaining that progress.

For Prakash, the barriers were often shaped by bias. “As an all-women founder team, we faced assumptions that we were running a ‘passion project,’” she recalls. “The turning point came when we decided to wear our ambition on our sleeve and articulate it unapologetically.”

Both founders emphasize that early recognition and visibility can make or break a startup’s momentum. “Every ‘yes’ builds momentum,” says Mahajan. “You just have to stay the course.”

Leading the future of women in tech

Both founders are now scaling with bold ambitions. Mahajan’s Rocket Learning aims to reach 50 million children and one million educators in the next five years, building an AI-based platform that can tailor learning at scale.

Prakash’s FlexiBees is expanding globally, targeting a $200 million topline and creating a new model for how women professionals and small businesses collaborate worldwide.

“Leadership is not about breaking ceilings,” says Mahajan. “It’s about building ladders for others to climb.”

And as Aurora Tech opens its 2026 call for applications, one message stands clear — women founders are not waiting to be invited to the table; they’re building new ones.

Apply for the Aurora Tech Award 2026

If you’re a woman founder using technology to create meaningful impact, the Aurora Tech Award can help you scale your vision.

Winners receive equity-free funding — $50,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, and $15,000 for third — along with global media visibility, PR support, and exclusive benefits from Aurora’s partner network. Together, these rewards provide the connections, credibility, and community that help women founders build lasting impact.

Apply here before November 12 and join a global community of women entrepreneurs shaping the future of innovation.