Raising Funds As A Woman Entrepreneur: Challenges And Opportunities

The thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem in India has encouraged every talented people to choose their own path. As a result of this, India witnesses the entry of several new startups across sectors almost every day.

Women are not behind in impressing with their finest business acumen and taking the advantage of flourishing startup landscape. They are coming up with out-of-the-box ideas and successfully implementing them on the ground.

Raising Funds As A Woman Entrepreneur

Today, India has numerous women entrepreneurs who have made bold decisions to create their own brands. Some have achieved their targets while others are on the right path to accomplishing their dreams. There are several established names that are making India proud. However, women entrepreneurs encounter different challenges that sometimes compel them to think, if they are on the right track.

Among the myriad challenges they face the most difficult one is raising funds as investors don't easily believe in their ideas and strategies. Sometimes, they are not taken seriously and sometimes their ideas aren't. The startup space is largely dominated by male entrepreneurs whom investors believe easily.

Women entrepreneurs also find it difficult to have proper guidance due to the absence of mentors who can guide them, check on their capabilities, measure success, and help them grow. They need mentorship from experts in the segment. Additionally, the high aspirations of investors also affect funding possibilities.

However, in the last few years, the startup and ">investors segment has evolved and a change in thoughts on women entrepreneurship has been sensed. This has positively impacted their fundraising efforts. Successful women entrepreneurs such as Veenita Singh, Namita Thapar, and Ghazal Alagh who are the judges of the popular Shark Tank India show have played a key role in instilling investors' confidence in women-owned ventures. This show has also introduced some promising women entrepreneurs to the world and showcased their exceptional business intelligence, changing people's perceptions of them.

Thanks to this, myriad funding options have emerged for women including support from governments. Investors are also willing to promote women with a view to enhance their participation in businesses and utilise their talent to create solutions for real-world problems. CosIQ has been one of the beneficiaries of the changing environment and won the trust of investors including Shark Tank India judges Veenita Singh and Anupam Mittal.

India has multiple aspiring targets to achieve in this decade and 'Amrit Kaal'. The active participation of women in economic activities is inevitable to drive the nation towards its developmental targets. Hence, it's imperative to create a more conducive environment for women to encourage them to embark on a new journey and become solution providers and employment creators.

Suggested read: Why women need to have conversations about money and finance