In the world of business, there are still only a handful of female entrepreneurs. Especially, in a country like ours, where business is decidedly carried on by male heirs, traditional gender roles restrict women from entering the space.
But navigating through the barriers women have managed to make their own way and we witnessed that on Shark Tank India. Although, majorly start-ups that showed up were owned by men, the number of women-led business were notable.
67 businesses got deals in @sharktankindia this season, of which –
— Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) February 3, 2022
59 [87%] had founders with no IIT/IIM degrees
45 [67%] had at least one co-founder<25 yrs
40 [60%] had never been funded
29 [43%] had at least one woman👩founder
20 [30%] were from #Bharat 🇮🇳 & rural #India
Have a look at some of the women-led start-ups that appeared on Shark Tank India:
1. Tweeinone- Niti Singhal
The convertible and reversible clothing fashion brand, owned by Niti Singhal, started in 2017. Although she didn’t land a final deal on the show, the pitch and idea impressed a few Sharks.
2. Thea & Sid- Ashwini Gadia and Aditi Minda
Working towards availing modish and affordable jewelry, this brand is led by 2 women, and it’s on its way to carve a niche. However, they couldn’t get a deal on the show.
3. Shades of Spring- Nidhi Gupta
Started in 2019, Shades of Spring is owned by a former national-level gymnast Nidhi Gupta. To make flowers a part of our daily life, the brand presented its flagship product on the show, a unique DIY flower subscription box. But the brand which already has a valuation of ₹300 crores did not get any funds from the Sharks.
4. ISAK Fragrances- Vidushi Vijayvergiya
With an aim to carry forward the legacy of over 160 years of craftsmanship in perfumery, this Lucknow-based woman launched her own artisanal and vegan perfume brand. Peyush Bansal, one of the judges, offered ₹50 lakhs for 50% of the company.
5. The Sass Bar- Rishika Nayak
The online soapery brand founded by Rishika Nayak offers a range of handmade soaps. But what makes her products stand out is that they look and smell like delicious desserts. Even the Sharks couldn’t resist that and invested in the business.
6. Namhya Foods -Ridhima Arora
Ridhima floored the Shark Tank India judges with her confidence more than her products. She brings ayurveda and food together in a series of healthy products, offered by her brand. Aman Gupta, founder of Boat, invested in the company.
7. Auli Lifestyle- Aishwarya Biswas
A lifestyle brand that provides a range of cosmetic and beauty products is owned by Aishwarya Biswas, a Kolkata-based entrepreneur. The ayurvedic brand managed to amaze Namita Thapar and got a deal of ₹75 lakh.
8. Jha Ji- Kalpana Jha and Uma Jha
Kalpana and Uma Jha started their business, Jha Ji, to bring Mithila’s authentic taste to people. The brand, based out of a small town Darbhanga, sells a range of pickles. Although they didn’t get any deal on Shark Tank, the brand was later funded by India’s largest revenue-based financier, Velocity.
9. BluePine Foods- Aditi Madan
With an aim to make people experience the “real” food of the Himalayan region, Aditi Madan started BluePine Foods. The former Master Chef contestant won ₹75 lakh funding on Shark Tank India.
10. Heart Up My Sleeve- Riya Khattar
Heart Up My Sleeves is a clothing company which produces fancy, reusable, and innovative sleeves, as the name suggests. The 23-year-old entrepreneur, Riya Khattar, impressed us as well as the Sharks and ended up with a deal.
Even though the challenges —gender-gap, social norms, and lack of funds— continue to prevail, female business owners are championing in the male-dominated space. And all we can say is, you go, girl!
