Hello, The Success Prime reader, International Women’s Day today we will be talking about the 10 best Indian women entrepreneurs. Over the past two decades, women have been equally involved in the Indian start-up ecosystem, having founded/co-founded many prominent ventures in the different business domains that have been continually evolving economies of the country.
The presence of women in the start-up’s ecosystem is still increasing. The recent report Bain and Co. and Google titled women entrepreneurship, Women entrepreneurship in India will create 150-170 million jobs by 2030. As per the discussion, we are hoping for the best to make India great.
But for now, we should appreciate those Indian woman entrepreneurs who ventured into novel industries and reformed them for the better.
Here are the Top 10 Best Indian Women Entrepreneurs in 2026
#10. Richa Kar Co-founded Zivame.
Richa Kar Co-founded Zivame | Credit Image: Firstpost
Richa Kar, an Indian Women entrepreneur, created an online lingerie retailer platform called “Zivame” in 2011. After completing engineering from BITS Pilani and master from Narsee Monji Institute of Management, Richa Kar worked at SAP and gained valuable retail experience. While working at SAP, she oversaw the online sales of Victoria’s Secret, America’s largest female retailer. She saw that the sales prices were higher than the target, but there was no such market for Indian women. That’s how Zivame was founded.
The idea was inspired by a prevalence issue – women had to encounter embarrassment and unwanted attention to something in the form of buying lingerie. She created an online space for women to order the latest & trendiest, good fit, and most comfortable intimate wear without fear or judgment.
#9. Sneha Choudhry: Co-founder ZoloStays
Sneha Choudhry Co-founder ZoloStays, Credit Image: Entrepreneur
Recently featured under “YourStory” 100 emerging voices of 2019, Sneha Choudhry was one of them. She brings 10 years of experience in leading global companies like Deloitte and Oracle as a strategy & Operations Consultant. She finished her engineering degree from R.V College of Engineering, Bangalore, Pg degree from IIM, Kozhikode. Sneha Choudhury is the co-founder of ZoloStays, one of the largest online Co-living platforms in India, where you can find PG as per your requirement. Her intention to start Zolo was to make the way people live away from home awesome! Sneha Choudhry is one of the top Indian Woman entrepreneurs known as a detailed-oriented problem-solver and getting the job done at any cost.
#8. Divya Gokulnath: Co-founder BYJU’s.
Divya Gokulnath Co founder BYJU’s., Credit Image: All About Eve India
Divya Gokulnath is the co-founder of India’s largest online EdTech company BYJU. Learning and teaching have always been part of her life. Before joining BYJU, she had the plan to go to the USA for higher studies. But her destiny was not there, while waiting for her result, she got the opportunity to take a class, that’s how she found her passion for teaching. Later, she went on to set up BYJU’s – the learning app with her husband Byju Raveendran, and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2019., She featured as one of LinkedIn’s top voices. In 2021, Fortune India ranked India’s 33rd most powerful woman.
#7. Swati Bhargava: Co-founder Cash Karo.
Swati Bhargava Co-founder Cash Karo, Credit Image: LinkedIn
Swati Bhargava is one of the most famous women entrepreneurs in India, who is the founder of India’s largest cashback & coupon site is none other than Cahkaro.com. She has been honoured amongst the top 10 Indian women entrepreneurs and is also an acclaimed social media influencer.
She is an alumnus of the London School of economics, and has spent her career at Goldman Sachs in London for 5 years. In 2011, She started the new venture UK Cashback along with her husband Rohan. Later she found out that great opportunity in India, she and her husband launched Cashkaro.com in April 2013. Swati has also represented India at the coveted Blackbox Connect- female founders edition – powered by Google in Silicon Valley, California.
#6. Ghazal Alagh: Co-founder MamaEarth.
Another one most famous women entrepreneur in India. She is the co-founder of India’s one of the most leading cosmetic brands MamaEarth, the idea was born out of parental stress when Ghazal and her husband were struggling to treat their infant son’s skin condition with products available in the market; they went to the root cause. They found out that certain toxins were banned in countries outside India and were considered to be harmful to baby skin, but were still being used widely all over the country.
And that’s what firmed up the couple’s decision to start a company in this sector. After a lot of scientific research, relentless gamma testing with a small focus group of mothers, including Ghazal herself, the couple officially launched their idea in DEC 2016 market with six toxin-free baby products. In under five years, it has become a D2C sensation and is one of the fastest-growing brands in India’s FMCG sector.
#5. Radhika Aggarwal: Co-founder ShopeClues.
Radhika Aggarwal Co-founder ShopeClues. Credit Image: Yourstory
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal is the current Chief Business Officer (CBO) and Co-founder of the e-commerce ShopeClues, was founded in 2011 with just 10 team members, including her husband (Sandeep Aggarwal). She is the first Indian women entrepreneurs to enter the Unicorn Club. Radhika was born into an Army family.
Her father was in the Indian army, and her mother was a dietician. In 1992, her father left the army job and start his own health club, that’s when her entrepreneurial venture started. She helped her father in his entrepreneurial journey as a fitness trainer, that’s how she got her first paycheque of Rs 400. Radhika has an MBA degree from Washington University, PG degree in advertising and public relation.
#4. Upasana Taku: Co-Founder Mobikwik.
Upasana Taku Co-Founder Mobikwik Credit Image: LinkedIn
The leading force at Mobikwik and ZaakPay, Upasana Taku is counted as one of the top women entrepreneurs in India. After working extensively in the corporate sector with finance giants like HSBC and PayPal, Taku decided to start her own company to contribute to the Indian ecosystem. Fast forward to over a decade, she has truly transformed digital transactions with innovative start-ups like Mobikwik and ZaakPay. Upasana Taku was born in Surat, Gujarat, where she completed her formative education. She completed a bachelor’s from NIT Jalandhar and a master’s from Stanford University, USA.
#3. Vineeta Singh: Co-founder & CEO of Sugar Cosmetics.
Vineeta Singh Co-founder & CEO of Sugar Cosmetics. Credit Image: LinkedIn
Vineeta Sigh is the CEO and co-founder of India’s one the most leading homegrown cosmetic brand Sugar. After refusing a pre-placement offer worth Rs 1 Cr from Deutsch bank, she started a service-based business. Running a business for around 5 years the business, soon she realized that this company cannot be as big as she had dreamed about it, which made him close the business and find a new one. Vineeta and her husband did a lot of research and found out that women In India always struggled to get the right shade of cosmetics for their skin.
As a result they have to rely on outsourcing products, that’s where sugar cosmetics was born aimed at creating a complete makeup product solely for Indian skin tones that can stay longer when women wear makeup on their face. Today, she has built a 200 Cr worth cosmetics empire. Vineeta Singh has always been a bright student, after completing formative education, she bachelorette from IIT, and mastered IIM.
#2. Falguni Nayar: Fonder Nykaa.
Falguni Nayar Fonder Nykaa, Credit Image: EY
Falguni Nayar is named among the top women entrepreneurs in India who founded Nykaa.com in 2012. This is an e-commerce platform known to retail beauty, wellness, and fashion product, which has just joined the Unicorn club. She had completed her higher degree from IIM Ahmedabad, and spent the bulk of her career, more than 18 years at Kolkata Mahindra Capital CO as an investment banker. Dominated India 2021, with a $6.5 billion net worth, Falguni Nayar has become the second richest Indian woman. She has also held the title of the 23rd most powerful Indian woman by Fortune India.
#1. Vandana Luthra – Founder of VLCC
Vandana Luthra – Founder of VLCC, Credit Image: LinkedIn
While she has started her entrepreneurial journey, there were rarely any Indian women entrepreneurs. Vandana Luthra is among the very few inspirational and famous women entrepreneurs in India who is the founder of VLCC health care LTD, philanthropist, and chairman of the ability council for the beatify and wellness sector. The VLCC was introduced in India as a wellness centre in 1989. Currently, the company is a very popular giant of beauty and wellness serves around 11 countries across the regions like Asia, Africa, and the GCC.
FAQs
1. Who are the top Indian women entrepreneurs featured in this list?
The top 10 Indian women entrepreneurs featured include:
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Vandana Luthra – Founder of VLCC
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Falguni Nayar – Founder of Nykaa
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Vineeta Singh – Co-founder & CEO of Sugar Cosmetics
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Upasana Taku – Co-founder of MobiKwik
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Radhika Ghai Aggarwal – Co-founder of ShopClues
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Ghazal Alagh – Co-founder of Mamaearth
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Swati Bhargava – Co-founder of CashKaro
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Divya Gokulnath – Co-founder of BYJU’S
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Sneha Choudhry – Co-founder of ZoloStays
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Richa Kar – Founder of Zivame
2. How have women entrepreneurs contributed to India’s startup ecosystem?
Women entrepreneurs have played a significant role in shaping India’s startup ecosystem across sectors like fintech, edtech, beauty, wellness, e-commerce, and co-living. They have introduced innovative business models, created employment opportunities, and helped transform traditional industries into digital-first platforms.
3. What impact will women entrepreneurship have on India’s economy?
According to a report by Bain & Company and Google, women entrepreneurship in India has the potential to create 150–170 million jobs by 2030, significantly contributing to economic growth and strengthening India’s position as a global startup hub.
4. Which sectors are dominated by Indian women entrepreneurs?
Indian women entrepreneurs have made a strong mark in sectors such as:
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Beauty & Wellness
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E-commerce
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FinTech
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EdTech
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FMCG
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D2C Brands
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Co-living & Real Estate Tech
5. Who is the founder of Nykaa?
Nykaa was founded by Falguni Nayar in 2012. She transitioned from a successful investment banking career to build one of India’s largest beauty and lifestyle e-commerce platforms.
6. Who founded Mamaearth and why?
Mamaearth was co-founded by Ghazal Alagh. The brand was born from a personal need to find toxin-free baby care products in India, leading to the creation of one of India’s fastest-growing D2C FMCG brands.
7. Which Indian woman entrepreneur built a major fintech platform?
Upasana Taku co-founded MobiKwik, a leading Indian fintech platform that transformed digital payments and financial services in India.
8. Who is India’s first woman entrepreneur to enter the Unicorn Club?
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal, co-founder of ShopClues, became one of the first Indian women entrepreneurs to lead a company into the Unicorn Club.
9. What qualities make these women entrepreneurs successful?
Key qualities include:
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Strong educational backgrounds
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Risk-taking mindset
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Problem-solving abilities
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Market gap identification
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Resilience and adaptability
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Customer-focused innovation
10. Why should we celebrate Indian women entrepreneurs?
Celebrating Indian women entrepreneurs highlights the progress toward gender equality in business, inspires young women to pursue entrepreneurship, and showcases India’s growing inclusive startup culture.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and highlights publicly available achievements of entrepreneurs. Readers are encouraged to verify details independently for business or investment decisions.
“Happy International Women’s Day! Your strength, wisdom, and kindness make a difference every day.”
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