Women have come a long way in the start-up ecosystem of India. The last few
years have proven to be great years for women and women-led startups are
growing like never before. The credit for this exponential growth should be
attributed to the reducing gender gaps, an ever-growing supporting culture,
changing societal attitudes, and so on. It is heartening to see the Government
taking initiatives to support women entrepreneurs.

Recently, it was mentioned in the report of the National Survey Organization that
women made up just 10% of all entrepreneurs in the country two years ago, but
today that percentage has increased to 14%.

Having said that, if we see in absolute numbers, only around 8 million out of a total
of 58 million entrepreneurs are women, indicating that establishing a business is
particularly challenging for women, who often face unique challenges and
barriers in entrepreneurship. A lack of female leaders across industries can also
have a negative impact on women’s representation in these fields.

To address this issue, understanding the intricacies of the challenges faced by
women entrepreneurs is essential. Firstly, women often have more difficulty
obtaining financing than men, particularly in the early stages of a business.
Networking is also an issue; many women feel that they have fewer connections in
the business world, which can make it harder to find partners, customers, and
investors. The work-life balance is also difficult to maintain, since starting a
business can be a demanding and time-consuming process, which can be
especially challenging for women who are also trying to balance family and other
responsibilities. Women may also face stereotypes and biases that can make it
harder for them to be taken seriously as entrepreneurs or to attract investment.
Another issue among many is the lack of mentorship and role models. The startup
ecosystem is a male-dominated field, and it can be difficult for women to find
mentors and role models who can provide guidance and support. This lack of
mentorship can make it harder for women to succeed in the startup world, as they
may not have the same level of access to valuable resources and connections as
their male counterparts.

To take an example from the hospitality sector, since it’s predominantly male,
women restaurant owners often have to seek the help of their male counterparts,
to do the legal discussions, deal with authorities etc because they often get asked
who the “man” in the business is while doing property deals or who would be the
point of contact to the police and take care of legal things in the restaurant
business. Women are generally not considered the owners and are asked who the
final decision-maker or who would be running the business. The journey as a
female entrepreneur in the male-dominated F&B sector is not easy. Only a few
women are able to propel their businesses to new heights after having overcome
several obstacles and hardships.

The challenges are numerous and impossible to weed out since they are deeply
rooted in our system. However, despite the difficulties, women are becoming more
and more self-enabled owing to a number of resources and organizations that can
help them overcome numerous challenges and succeed as entrepreneurs.
Some of these include accelerators, government schemes, and incentives
specifically designed for women-led startups, networking events; and online
communities and resources.

In conclusion, while women face a number of challenges when starting businesses,
there are also many opportunities for them to succeed and make a positive impact
in the startup world. Instead of relying on male entrepreneurs or external factors
to support them in their endeavors, more women entrepreneurs must really pick
up on these opportunities by themselves and support each other. For this reason,
building a connection with other female entrepreneurs is a very important
component of building a sustainable and diverse startup ecosystem.