With Bengaluru as the top city, India ranks second globally in women-led startup funding

India has emerged as the second-largest recipient of funding for women-led startups globally, trailing only the United States, according to a report by Bengaluru-based Tracxn Technologies Limited. Despite this achievement, women-led ventures received only 11.7% of total global tech funding in 2024 due to economic constraints.

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Globally, over 69,000 tech startups founded by women have raised a total of USD 309 billion. India alone has over 7,000 active women-led startups, making up 7.5% of the country’s total startup ecosystem, with cumulative funding reaching USD 26.4 billion. In 2024, India ranked third in funding raised by startups co-led by women, following the USA and the UK.

Retail, Edtech, and Enterprise Applications sectors attracted the highest investments among women-led startups in India. Retail led with USD 7.8 billion, followed by Edtech at USD 5.4 billion and Enterprise Applications at USD 5 billion. Additionally, five women-led startups went public through IPOs in 2024, including MobiKwik and LawSikho.

However, the number of unicorns led by women has declined. While 2021 saw eight new unicorns, none emerged in 2023 or 2024. Bengaluru remains the top city for women-led startups, followed by Mumbai and Delhi NCR. Acquisitions of women-led startups have also decreased, from 36 in 2022 to 16 in 2024, highlighting shifting trends in the startup landscape.