India ranks 2nd in global funding for women-led tech startups: Report
With over 7,000 active women-led startups, accounting for 7.5% of all startups in India, these ventures have collectively raised $26.4 billion in funding to date.
India has emerged as the second-highest recipient of all-time funding for women-led tech startups, trailing only behind the United States, according to a new report by Tracxn.
With over 7,000 active women-led startups, accounting for 7.5% of all startups in India, these ventures have collectively raised $26.4 billion in funding to date.
The retail sector leads in total funding, attracting $7.8 billion, followed by edtech ($5.4 billion) and enterprise applications ($5 billion). Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR are the top cities for women-led startup funding.
In 2024, five women-led startups—MobiKwik, Usha Financial, Tunwal, Interiors & More, and LawSikho—went public. However, acquisitions of women-led startups declined by over 64% from 45 in 2021 to just 16 in 2024, reflecting changing market dynamics.
The report highlighted 2021 as the highest-funded year, with women-led startups securing $6.3 billion in investments.
In 2022, India accounted for 15.18% of global funding for women-led startups, raising $5 billion against a worldwide total of $32.8 billion. In 2024, India ranked third, after the US and the UK, contributing 3.96% of global women-led startup funding.
While 2021 saw a surge with eight new unicorns, the momentum has been inconsistent. While 2019, 2020, and 2022 saw steady growth, no new unicorns emerged in 2017, 2023, or 2024. The report suggested that stronger financial backing, mentorship, and ecosystem support are crucial to sustaining this growth.
Edited by Suman Singh