Over 1 Lakh DPIIT-registered Startups Have At Least One Woman Director or Partner: Minister

Government schemes boost funding access and participation of women-led enterprises in startup ecosystem

New Delhi: More than 1 lakh startups in India have at least one woman director or partner out of the 2.12 lakh entities recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), reflecting the growing role of women in the country’s startup ecosystem.

The information was shared in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on Tuesday.

According to official data, as of January 31, 2026, a total of 2,12,283 startups have been recognised, of which 1,02,054 startups have at least one woman director or partner, indicating increasing gender diversity in entrepreneurial leadership.

Startup ecosystem expands under policy support

The Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, has focused on building a strong ecosystem to promote innovation and investment. The government has introduced multiple funding mechanisms to support startups across different growth stages.

These include the fund of funds for startups (FFS), the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS).

Under FFS, investments are routed through SEBI-registered alternative investment funds, which have collectively invested around ₹25,859 crore in startups, with ₹2,995 crore directed towards women-led startups since 2020, as indicated in the investment data in the reply.

Seed funding and credit support gain traction

The SISFS scheme, which provides early-stage funding through incubators, has approved ₹592 crore for startups, including ₹294 crore for women-led startups, highlighting the focus on supporting women entrepreneurs at the seed stage.

The CGSS scheme, operational since April 2023, has facilitated loan guarantees worth ₹925 crore, including ₹39 crore for women-led startups, enabling easier access to debt funding.

A table in the reply shows that 3,311 startups have been supported under SISFS, compared to 1,382 under FFS and 281 under CGSS, indicating stronger uptake of early-stage funding support.

Regional spread of women-led startups

State-wise data presented in the annexure shows that startup activity with women participation has expanded significantly across states.

States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat have recorded some of the highest numbers of startups with women directors over the years, with Maharashtra alone crossing 4,000 such startups by 2025, as seen in the reply.

Closed startups and sustainability challenges

Despite strong growth, the data also indicates that 6,789 recognised startups have been categorised as closed (dissolved or struck off).

Of these, 2,950 startups had at least one woman director or partner, suggesting that sustainability challenges remain a concern even as participation increases. This is detailed in the reply.

Increasing investment in women-led startups

Investment trends show growing capital flow into women-led startups.

The chart in the reply indicates that investments in women-led startups through AIFs rose from ₹333.96 crore in 2020 to ₹914.47 crore in 2025, reflecting increasing investor confidence in women entrepreneurs.

Similarly, incubator-led funding under SISFS has supported women-led startups with ₹87.43 crore in 2023 and ₹84.22 crore in 2024, as shown in the reply.

Policy push for inclusive entrepreneurship

The data highlights the impact of targeted policy interventions in promoting inclusive entrepreneurship and improving access to finance for women-led ventures.

Experts note that while participation levels are rising, sustained policy support, access to markets and scaling opportunities will be critical to ensuring long-term success and resilience of women-led startups in India.