Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs in India 2026: Business, Influence, and Roles

A decade ago, the majority of Indian entrepreneurs were male. Today, women entrepreneurs are increasingly visible not just as founders, but as business leaders with operational control, market presence, and long-term influence. 

Women-led enterprises span consumer brands, financial institutions, biotechnology firms, media platforms, and fintech companies with national and global reach. 

This list features 10 women entrepreneurs who have built, scaled, and continue to lead businesses with lasting impact on India’s economy.

Leading Women Entrepreneurs (2026): Company Profiles and Leadership Roles 

Entrepreneur	Company / Platform	Sector	Role
Namita Thapar	Emcure Pharmaceuticals	Pharmaceuticals	Executive Director
Ghazal Alagh	Mamaearth (Honasa Consumer)	Consumer Goods	Co-founder
Vineeta Singh	SUGAR Cosmetics	Beauty & Retail	Co-founder & CEO
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw	Biocon	Biotechnology	Executive Chairperson
Falguni Nayar	Nykaa	Beauty & E-commerce	Founder & CEO
Neha Singh	Tracxn	Data & Analytics	Co-founder
Aditi Gupta	Menstrupedia	Education & Publishing	Co-founder
Shradha Sharma	YourStory	Media & Publishing	Founder & CEO
Vani Kola	Kalaari Capital	Venture Capital	Managing Director
Upasana Taku	MobiKwik	Fintech	Co-founder

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Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs in India: Roles, Impact and Individual Profiles 

The following is the overview of women entrepreneurs, the businesses they lead, and their approach to growth, leadership, and impact.

1. Namita Thapar

Company: Emcure Pharmaceuticals
Year Founded: 1981

Net Worth: ≈ ₹600 crore

Turnover: ₹6,000 crore

Sector: Pharmaceuticals

Achievements: The Economic Times ’40 Under Forty’ award, Barclays Hurun Next Gen Leader recognition, inclusion in the Economic Times Women Ahead List (2017), and the World Women Leadership Congress Super Achiever Award

Education: Namita Thapar is a Chartered Accountant and an alumna of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. 

Initial Business Struggle: Emcure operated in a highly regulated pharmaceutical industry. So, scaling operations while maintaining compliance and quality standards was mandatory.

Growth Phase: The company expanded its domestic and international presence by improving its portfolio across multiple therapeutic segments. 

Leadership: Namita Thapar, as Executive Director, was directly involved in decision-making related to manufacturing expansion and regulatory alignment.

Social and Economic Impact: Emcure contributes to affordable healthcare by manufacturing cost-effective medicines for domestic and global markets. The company’s operations support large-scale pharmaceutical supply chains in India.

Workforce and Employment: 12,000+ people

2. Ghazal Alagh

Company: Mamaearth (Honasa Consumer Ltd.)
Founded Year: 2016

Net Worth: ≈ ₹150-200 crore

Turnover: ₹1000 Crore

Sector: Consumer Goods

Achievements: In the Young Turks Startup of the Year category, MamaEarth won a prize at the CNBC-TV18 India Business Leader Awards 2022.

Education: Ghazal Alagh has a background in IT and was later trained in design and branding

Initial Business Challenge: When Mamaearth launched, the personal care market was already crowded, and consumers were sceptical of safety claims. 

Growth Phase: Mamaearth scaled through a digital-first and then direct-to-consumer model. With time, it expanded into offline retail and added multiple personal care categories to its portfolio.

Leadership: Ghazal Alagh focused on shaping the brand’s visual identity and communication. 

Social and Economic Impact: Mamaearth helped push ingredient transparency into mainstream personal care conversations. Its sourcing and manufacturing model also supports domestic suppliers at scale.

Workforce and Employment: 1,500+ people 

3. Vineeta Singh

Company: SUGAR Cosmetics
Year Founded: 2015

Net Worth: ≈ ₹300 crore
Turnover: ₹80,000 Crore

Sector: Beauty and Retail

Achievements: Forbes India W-Power List (2021), Economic Times 40 Under Forty (2020, 2021), Fortune’s 40 Under 40 (2021), BW Disrupt 40 Under 40 (2021), and World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader (2022)

Education: Vineeta Singh is an alumna of IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad. 

Initial Business Struggle: SUGAR entered a beauty market dominated by global brands with deep marketing budgets.

Growth Phase: The brand built its base online before moving into physical retail across major cities. Product innovation and influencer-led visibility helped SUGAR compete in a crowded category.

Leadership: As Co-founder and CEO, Vineeta Singh oversees business strategy, brand positioning, and expansion plans. She has consistently focused on building a scalable and consumer-driven beauty brand.

Social and Economic Impact: SUGAR Cosmetics contributed to the growth of homegrown beauty brands competing with international players. The company has also expanded organised beauty retail employment in India.

Workforce and Employment: 2,000+ people

4. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Company: Biocon
Year Founded: 1978

Net Worth: ≈ ₹3.3 crore

Turnover: ₹9,000 crore
Sector: Biotechnology

Achievements: Padma Shri (1989), the Padma Bhushan (2005), and Businesswoman of the Year in 2004

Education: She holds a degree in brewing technology from Ballarat College, Australia. 

Initial Business Struggle: Biocon was founded at a time when biotechnology was less recognised in India. Further, infrastructure gaps and credibility as a woman founder slowed early progress.

Growing Phase: Biocon established a strong global presence in regulated markets, including the US and Europe, and further expanded from enzymes into biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars.

Leadership: As Executive Chairperson, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has guided long-term strategy, research investment, and global partnerships. Her leadership has focused on science-led growth and affordable innovation.

Social and Economic Impact:
Biocon has contributed to improving access to affordable biologic medicines worldwide. The company has also strengthened India’s position in global pharmaceutical manufacturing and research.

Workforce and Employment: 16,000+ people 

5. Falguni Nayar

Company: Nykaa
Year Founded: 2012

Net Worth: ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 crore

Sector: Beauty, Retail, E-commerce

Turnover: ₹38,032 million

Education: Falguni Nayar is an alumna of IIM Ahmedabad

Achievements: “Emerging Retailer of the Year” award.

Initial Business Struggle: When Nykaa launched, beauty retail in India was largely offline and online purchases were low. However, building credibility and authenticity was much more important than rapid growth.

Growth Phase: Nykaa strengthened its online model before expanding into physical stores. Later, private labels and category expansion followed once the platform matured.

Leadership: Nayar is the founder and CEO

Social and Economic Impact: Nykaa has played a role in formalising India’s beauty and personal care retail by creating organised supply chains and standardised selling practices. Its platform has also helped scale Indian and emerging beauty brands by giving them nationwide market access.

Workforce and Employment: 6,000+ people

6. Neha Singh

Company: Tracxn
Year Founded: 2013

Net Worth: ₹137.8 crore

Turnover: ₹90.4 crore

Sector: Data and Analytics

Achievements: Top 50 HR Leader, HR 40 Under 40, Women Achiever Award, and HR Strategy Visionary Award.

Education: Neha Singh holds a degree in engineering and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. Her academic background supports her focus on data-driven business models.

Initial Business Struggle: Tracxn was launched when structured startup and private market data were limited in India. Building comprehensive datasets and monetising enterprise data services posed early challenges.

Growth Phase: The platform expanded by tracking startups, funding rounds, and developed subscription-based products used by investors, corporates, and financial institutions.

Leadership: As Co-founder, Neha Singh oversees product strategy, research frameworks, and client engagement. She emphasised data accuracy, platform scalability, and enterprise adoption.

Social and Economic Impact: Tracxn has improved access to structured market intelligence for startups and investors. 

Workforce and Employment: 650 + people

7. Aditi Gupta

Company: Menstrupedia
Year Founded: 2012

Net Worth: ₹9–12 crore

Turnover: ₹1.5 Crore​​​​​​​

Sector: Education and Publishing

Achievements: BT Most Powerful Women Impact Awards

Education: Aditi Gupta is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. 

Initial Business Struggle: The business faced difficulty in raising a socially sensitive subject like menstruation. There was minimal awareness and acceptance of these topics in schools and among parents.

Growth Phase: The platform expanded through online reading material, school programmes, and digital content. It reached audiences in various languages and international markets over time.

Leadership: Aditi Gupta leads content development, educational outreach, and partnerships across various popular platforms. 

Social and Economic Impact: It has contributed to menstrual education and awareness among young girls and educators. Its work supports informed health choices and education continuity.

Number of Employees: 50+ people

8. Shradha Sharma

Company: YourStory
Year Founded: 2008

Net Worth: ₹100 crore

Turnover: ₹13.44 crore
Sector: Media and Digital Publishing

Achievements: NASSCOM Ecosystem Evangelist Award in 2010. ‘The Villgro Journalist of the Year Award’ in 2010. 

Education: She holds an MBA and previously worked in media and television journalism. 

Initial Business Struggle: YourStory started as a bootstrapped platform at a time when startup-focused digital media had limited interest from advertisers. 

Growth Phase: The platform expanded by covering startups, founders, and technology trends across India. Over time, YourStory diversified into events, research reports, and ecosystem partnerships.

Leadership: As Founder and CEO, Shradha Sharma oversees editorial direction, platform strategy, and partnerships. She is involved in shaping content quality and business sustainability.

Social and Economic Impact: YourStory has documented and amplified thousands of entrepreneurial journeys, increasing visibility for early-stage founders. 

Workforce and Employment: 300+ people 

9. Vani Kola

Company: Kalaari Capital
Year Founded: 2006

Net Worth: ₹15,614 crore

Turnover:  ~₹5400 crore

Sector: Venture Capital

Achievements: TiE Delhi-NCR Women Entrepreneurship Award (2018), Midas Touch Award (2015), NDTV Women of Worth Award for Leadership Excellence (2016), Most Powerful Women in Business” (2014, 2018, 2019) by Forbes.

Education: Vani Kola holds a degree in engineering and has experience in Silicon Valley across technology and investment roles. 

Initial Business Struggle: Kalaari Capital was established when India’s early-stage startup ecosystem had just begun. Building investor confidence and identifying scalable Indian startups required long-term conviction.

Growth Phase: The firm invested early in consumer internet, fintech, and technology-led businesses. Over time, Kalaari built a portfolio of companies that scaled up domestically and internationally.

Leadership: Vani Kola leads investment strategy, founder mentoring, and portfolio development. 

Social and Economic Impact: Kalaari Capital provides strategic guidance to Indian startups. 

Number of Employees: 40+ people

10. Upasana Taku

Company: MobiKwik
Founded: 2009

Net Worth: ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 crore
Turnover: ₹5.4 billion

Sector: Finance

Achievements: ‘AWS Mobility Award’ for the best mobile app in Financial Services

Education: She holds an engineering degree from NIT Jalandhar and a master’s degree from Stanford University. 

Initial Business Struggle: MobiKwik entered a market with low digital payment adoption and limited consumer trust in online transactions. 

Growth Phase: The company expanded its services from digital wallets to include credit and payment solutions. It scaled by partnering with merchants and online platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, and Flipkart across India.

Leadership: As Co-founder, Upasana Taku has led product, risk, compliance, and regulatory engagement functions. Her role has been critical in navigating fintech regulations and building scalable payment systems.

Social and Economic Impact: MobiKwik has supported the adoption of digital payments among consumers and small merchants. 

Number of Employees: 500+ people 

Read About: Investment Schemes for Women – How Your First Salary Can Build Lifelong Wealth.

Market Presence of Women-Led Companies (India)

S.No	Company	NSE Code	BSE Code	Market Capitalisation (In Crore)*
1	Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd.	EMCURE	544210	₹28831
2	Honasa Consumer Ltd. (Mamaearth)	HONASA	544014	₹8746
3	SUGAR Cosmetics	Not listed	Not listed	Not publicly available (private company)
4	Biocon Ltd.	BIOCON	532523	₹59649
5	FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd. (Nykaa)	NYKAA	543384	₹67144
6	Tracxn Technologies Ltd.	TRACXN	543638	₹360
7	Menstrupedia	Not listed	Not listed	Not publicly available (private company)
8	YourStory Media	Not listed	Not listed	Not publicly available (private company)
9	Kalaari Capital	Not listed	Not listed	Not applicable (VC firm, private)
10	One MobiKwik Systems Ltd.	MOBIKWIK	544305	₹1,557

Note: Market capitalisation shown above is as of 23 January 2026, sourced from screener.in, and applies only to companies listed on NSE/BSE. 

Final Thought

The entrepreneurs mentioned here operate in various sectors, but they share one thing in common: sustained involvement in building and running their businesses. Their roles extend beyond visibility, ownership, execution, and long-term responsibility.

This list, however, reflects only a small portion of women’s entrepreneurship in India. The truth is that many women-led businesses function beyond media attention, through local employment and long-term economic participation.

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