More than one lakh startups in India have at least one woman director or partner, reflecting growing female participation in the country’s innovation ecosystem, according to data shared in Parliament.
As per information provided by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada in the Lok Sabha, a total of 2,12,283 entities have been recognised as startups by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of January 31, 2026. Of these, 1,02,054 startups have at least one woman director or partner.
The Startup India initiative, launched in January 2016, aims to build a strong ecosystem to nurture innovation and encourage investments in startups across the country.
Data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) shows that 6,789 recognised startups have been categorised as closed (dissolved or struck off). Among these, 2,950 startups had at least one woman director or partner.
To support startups at various stages of their lifecycle, the government is implementing several flagship schemes, including the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS).
The Fund of Funds for Startups, operationalised by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), aims to catalyse venture capital investments through SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs). As of January 31, 2026, these AIFs have invested around ₹25,859 crore in startups, including approximately ₹2,995 crore in women-led ventures since 2020.
Under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, implemented from April 2021, incubators have approved funding of around ₹592 crore to startups, with nearly ₹294 crore allocated to women-led startups.
The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups, launched in April 2023 and operationalised by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC), has enabled guaranteed loans of about ₹925 crore to startup borrowers. Of this, around ₹39 crore has been extended to women-led startups.
The data also indicates relatively low closure rates among startups supported under these schemes. Under FFS, 17 out of 1,382 supported startups have been categorised as closed. Similarly, 26 out of 3,311 startups under SISFS and one out of 281 startups under CGSS have been classified as closed.
State-wise data shows that Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat account for a significant share of startups with women participation, reflecting the concentration of startup activity in these regions.
The government noted that these initiatives aim to provide financial support, improve access to capital, and strengthen the overall startup ecosystem, with a focus on inclusivity and sustained growth.
