MOVING BEYOND PERFORMATIVE INCLUSIVITY

Critical challenges, milestones, and the way forward for women entrepreneurs and investors

- REHAN YAR KHAN

The past five years have seen a notable increase in women-led companies and women in leadership roles in venture capital in India. Women-led startups raised over $930 million in 2024, a 94 per cent increase from $480 million the previous year. While promising, these numbers highlight the large gender gap in funding and leadership opportunities. Despite the sizeable jump in funding for women-led startups, it still is a small percentage of India's total VC funding pool.

At Orios, we believe diverse perspectives lead to better investment decisions and outcomes. We have reinforced this belief by maintaining gender-balanced teams across all functions, including our partnership. A study by IFC found that private equity and VC funds with gender-balanced senior investment teams generated 10 per cent to 20 per cent higher returns than those with predominantly male or female leaders.

The Challenges Women Face

Despite these positive developments, several critical challenges hold women back from achieving parity in the entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem.