New Delhi, Mar 8 (KNN) A recent report by market intelligence platform Tracxn has revealed that tech startups co-led by women in India secured only USD 1 billion in funding in 2024, marking a significant 25 per cent year-on-year decline.
India is home to over 7,000 active women-led startups, comprising 7.5 per cent of the country’s total startup ecosystem. Despite notable contributions, funding in the sector has fluctuated over the years.
Women-led tech startups in India have raised a cumulative USD 26.4 billion to date, with 2021 witnessing the highest funding inflow of USD 6.3 billion.
Titled Women-led Startups in India Report 2025, the study outlines trends in funding, sectoral growth, unicorn formations, and global positioning.
The report highlights that Indian women-led startups accounted for 3.96 per cent of the global funding raised in 2024, ranking third after the US and the UK. In 2022, India contributed 15.18 per cent to global women-led startup funding, securing USD 5 billion compared to the global total of USD 32.8 billion.
Sector-wise, the retail industry leads in investment among women-led startups, having raised USD 7.8 billion, followed by ed-tech (USD 5.4 billion) and enterprise applications (USD 5 billion).
Geographically, Bengaluru tops the chart for the highest number of women-led startups and total funding, followed by Mumbai and Delhi NCR.
India’s women-led unicorn journey has seen ups and downs, peaking in 2021 with eight new unicorns. However, no new unicorns emerged in 2017, 2023, or 2024, indicating fluctuating growth momentum.
Additionally, acquisitions of women-led startups have been on a steady decline, falling from 45 in 2021 to just 16 in 2024.
The report underscores the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in India’s tech landscape, emphasizing the need for increased investment and support to drive sustained growth.
(KNN Bureau)
