Shaili Chopra To Power The Women's Economy On India's Biggest Startup Show

About eleven years ago, a zealous business journalist embarked on a daring journey to amplify women's voices when few were listening. That journalist was Shaili Chopra, founder of SheThePeople and Gytree, which have grown to become India’s leading platforms for women’s storytelling, wellness, and sisterhood.

And now, Shaili is setting her sights on a new frontier, turning women’s enterprising ideas into realities at Ideabaaz, India’s first integrated startup-investor marketplace and entrepreneurial reality show. It is not your run-of-the-mill startup show; it focuses on the financial empowerment and mentorship for women, small-town innovators, and first-time entrepreneurs.

At the show’s launch event at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), Shaili took the stage to reflect on her full-circle moment. “It feels really special to come back here on stage; Normally, I am there, reporting on the listings. Feels very proud coming here as a part of the Ideabaaz team,” she expressed, thanking Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD and CEO of NSE, and Raj Nayak, Investor & Chief Curator of Ideabaaz, for their support.

As an Ideabaaz 'titan' (investor and mentor), Shaili is committed to backing innovative women-led startups, providing not just funding but also guidance to help ideas scale. ”The show’s host, Pratik Gandhi, introduces me as the ‘OG queen of women entrepreneurship,’ a crown I wear with a lot of pride, but also with responsibility for the 6.2 million women who are part of our network at SheThePeople.”

Shaili expressed excitement to be a part of the Ideabaaz team. “We are a country of 1.5 billion, and half of them are women. So, we deserve half the opportunity and half the voice. And I’m so glad that at Ideabaaz, it has been the word go to help women and those who champion women entrepreneurs to build the women’s economy.”

Spotlighting India’s next big entrepreneurs

Mentorship and networking remained key focuses throughout the event. Experienced entrepreneurs such as Archana Jahagirdar, founder of Rukam Capital, and Priyanka Salot, co-founder of Sleep Company, also spoke about how financial empowerment and strategic support can boost confidence and accelerate the growth of women and small-town entrepreneurs.

Ideabaaz is spearheaded by Jeet Wagh, Co-Founder & CEO of Ideabaaz; Mudith Kumar, Co-Founder & COO; and Raj Nayak. The show will feature diverse women-led startups, spanning diverse sectors from technology to wellness, and from education to agriculture, demonstrating that creativity and ambition are thriving in every corner of India. 

Shaili Chopra captured this spirit in her remark. “Indian women entrepreneurs are not the side story; they are the centrepiece. They don’t wait for the stage; they take it. From kitchens to boardrooms, women are shaping India’s growth story. And as we build this idea of ‘We the People of India,’ let’s not forget ‘She the People of India.’”