Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, observed annually on November 19, celebrates and elevates women entrepreneurs whose contributions drive innovation, economic growth, and social transformation across the globe. This year, several women leaders from India’s investment and startup ecosystem stand out for their pioneering work in funding, mentoring, and scaling high-impact ventures.
Ankita Vashistha, Founder and Managing Partner of Arise Ventures, is among the leading voices shaping India’s venture capital landscape. A trailblazer in the industry, she has built three funds and invested in more than 50 startups, including unicorns such as Licious, Uniphore, CultFit, and Phenom, collectively valued at over $15 billion. Ankita pioneered India’s first women-focused VC fund, Saha Fund, in 2015, bringing leaders like Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Zia Mody together to champion women-led innovation. With Arise Ventures, she is now expanding globally, backing transformative businesses across Consumer, Climate, and Enterprise Tech. Beyond capital, she has cultivated a network of 200+ mentors, creating a powerful ecosystem for entrepreneurs to grow and scale.
Shreya Mishra, Co-Founder of SolarSquare, represents a new generation of operators-turned-founders shaping India’s climate-tech future. A software engineer and former founder of Flyrobe, India’s first fashion rental startup, Shreya now leads product innovation, technology development, and strategic growth at SolarSquare. Known for her analytical approach to solving engineering and consumer challenges in residential solar, she has built a culture rooted in experimentation and collaboration. Under her leadership, SolarSquare earned global recognition, featuring in the World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers 2025 and Forbes Asia’s 100 to Watch lists.
Priyanka Chopra, CEO and Managing Partner at IIMA Ventures, IIM Ahmedabad, has been instrumental in advancing entrepreneurship and startup incubation across India. A Strategy and Finance graduate from The Wharton School, she previously held leadership roles at IBM and Sarvajal, where she worked to expand access to clean drinking water in underserved communities. At IIMA Ventures (formerly IIMA-CIIE), Priyanka has played a pivotal role in supporting women founders through accelerator and incubation programs. Under her leadership, IIMA Ventures has accelerated nearly 1200 startups, funded over 300, and mentored more than 5000 through initiatives such as iAccelerator, Power of Ideas, Powerstart, India Innovation Growth Program, Start-up Oasis, and Bharat Inclusion Initiative.
Seema Chaturvedi, Founder and Managing Partner of Achieving Women Equity (AWE) Funds, has spent more than two decades championing gender equity and climate action through impact investing. With expertise spanning capital markets, financial management, and economic development, she has mobilized over $250 million, directly invested $66 million, and catalyzed over $5 billion in economic value. Her programs have positively impacted over 250,000 small-hold farmers and 300,000 women in India, advancing digital literacy, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship in rural communities. Her work has earned global recognition, including the Global Achievers Award, Forbes Finance Council membership, and Crain’s Detroit Business “40 under 40.”
Sera Arora, Partner at Bharat Founders Fund (BFF), represents the rising cohort of young investors shaping India’s early-stage startup ecosystem. A Delhi University graduate, she began her investment journey at Investopad in 2018 and quickly rose from General Manager to Partner. At BFF, she works alongside Maanav Sagar to support early-stage entrepreneurs, helping build a portfolio of more than 60 companies across sectors including Cleantech and Fintech. Backed by a collective of 70+ founders and operators from India’s leading startups, Sera continues to champion innovation and nurture the next wave of high-potential ventures.
