More than one lakh startups in India have at least one woman director or partner, reflecting growing female participation in the country’s innovation ecosystem, according to data shared in Parliament.

As per information provided by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada in the Lok Sabha, a total of 2,12,283 entities have been recognised as startups by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of January 31, 2026. Of these, 1,02,054 startups have at least one woman director or partner.

The Startup India initiative, launched in January 2016, aims to build a strong ecosystem to nurture innovation and encourage investments in startups across the country.

Data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) shows that 6,789 recognised startups have been categorised as closed (dissolved or struck off). Among these, 2,950 startups had at least one woman director or partner.

To support startups at various stages of their lifecycle, the government is implementing several flagship schemes, including the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS).

Read more at: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/over-11-6-lakh-women-serve-as-directors-in-indian-companies-govt/