Prime Highlights:
- Ankita Vashistha, founder of Arise Ventures and Saha Fund, is proving that women entrepreneurs can succeed and innovate.
- Through her programs, around 75% of participants are women working in areas like drones, space, biotech, and cybersecurity.
Key Facts:
- Vashistha has backed over 50 companies in India and the US, including Licious, Uniphore, CultFit, and Phenom, with a total portfolio valued at over $20 billion.
- Arise Ventures runs programs and accelerators that connect women founders with mentors, business partners, and investors, helping startups like Streamingo and Outdoor Goats grow successfully.
Background:
Ankita Vashistha, founder of Arise Ventures and Saha Fund, proves women entrepreneurs can succeed. She started noticing the lack of women in India’s venture capital in 2012. She recalls that even when women were part of a startup team, they often stayed quiet while their male partners pitched.
At Arise, about 75% of participants are women working in areas like drones, space, biotech, and cybersecurity. Startups such as Streamingo and Outdoor Goats have grown successfully with the support of these programs, showing how effective they are.
Vashistha emphasizes the importance of women backing women in venture capital. “Unless you are the user or the target audience, you won’t always solve the right problems. Women investors play a key role in shaping solutions for women’s health and consumer needs,” she notes.
Over her career, Vashistha has supported more than 50 companies in India and the US, including Licious, Uniphore, CultFit, and Phenom, with a total portfolio worth over $20 billion. Going forward, Arise Ventures will focus on healthcare, consumer wellness, and practical technology solutions that have strong business potential.
Through her work, Vashistha is not just funding startups but also changing the way women entrepreneurs are seen in India’s business world.
