The corporate does little for women startups
By Nikita Arora
Bangalore: In the Indian corporate world, only two per cent women based-ventures are given funds. Also, leadership roles are offered to only 20 per cent women.
Gunjan Prasad, Director of Department of Industries and Commerce, said, “In 2017 when fundraising was done, two percent of the women-led firms got equity participation..It’s high time that women come to par with men. They should be encouraged by their families so that they can step towards success.” Mr. Prasad was speaking at an event in Sir M V Auditorium.
Akriti Singh, a legal manager at a startup said, “The investors believe that it is difficult to fund women based startups because they feel that women come with family baggage. Granting a marriage and maternity leaves, nursing breaks and crutch facilities also does not appeal to a lot of them.”
Mohsin Dingankar, who is a co-founder of Zolo said that raising seed funding is the most difficult aspect for any startup founder. “A good idea which is properly executed, is the only thing that matters at the end of the day. “Most founders have a great idea and execution plan but it does not convince the investors.”
Some women entrepreneurs feel that this is because of the perceptions that society has of women. Deblina, who works as a tech recruiter in a company said, “In almost every company, or any profession for that matter, there are more men as compared to women. The recruiters are very dubious about women being fit for leadership roles because they have other commitments. The women are expected to excel at professional as well as personal levels. Probably, that is why they do not hire or promote women at leadership levels.”
Isha Choudhary who is a co-founder of a startup believes that a woman needs to work hard to get the required funding and at the same time make the investors believe that she will execute her idea properly. She also needs her family by her side, to make all of this work.
