Lok Sabha Question No. 3540 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: Participation of Women in Startups
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3540

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2025

## PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN STARTUPS

## 3540.  MS. S JOTHIMANI:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether women-founded startups account for only 20% of all startups in the country, if so, the details of the steps taken by the Government to encourage more women to take leadership roles in India's startup ecosystem;
- (b) whether  the  Government  plan  to  address  the  barriers  that  limit  women's participation in the startup sector, particularly in leadership positions, considering  the  existing  gender  gap  in  access  to  venture  capital,  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (c) the  details  of  the  initiatives  introduced/being  introduced  to  provide  financial support and mentorship to women-led startups, especially in the light of the fact that only 13% of funding goes to women entrepreneurs?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) to (c): Recognizing the transformative potential of start-ups, the Government has introduced  several  initiatives  to  support  and  nurture  entrepreneurship,  including women's entrepreneurship. More than 73000 start-ups, representing nearly half of the 157066 start-ups supported by the government under the Start-up India Initiative, have at  least  one-woman  director,  underscoring  the  crucial  role  women  play  in  driving innovation and economic growth.

There are a number of schemes/ initiatives being implemented by various Ministries/ Departments of  the  Government  of  India  across  the  country  to  financially  support women.

The  schemes  to  provide  skilling  opportunities  for  women  include  Pradhan  Mantri Kaushal  Vikas  Yojna  (PMKVY)  and  Mahila  Coir  Yojana  (MCY)  which  is  a  subcomponent of the Coir Vikas Yojana, among others.

Some of the schemes to facilitate women entrepreneurs and start-ups include

(i) The Indian Patent Act that provides for expedited examination, when at least one of the applicants is a female. It is a concerted effort to encourage women innovators to file patent applications and protect their inventions.

(ii) Women entrepreneurs, who file for protection of their Intellectual Property in individual  capacity,  have  to  pay  reduced  fees  as  compared  to  other  large entities. Patent filings by women has increased over 905% in the past 5 years. Women  lead  about  one-third  of  the  start-ups  incubated  under  the  Atal Innovation  Mission's  Atal  Incubation  Centres,  which  foster  innovation  at universities, institutions and corporates among others.

(iii) Stand Up India, Start Up India and MUDRA Yojna facilitate bank loans and entrepreneurial activities and have majorly benefitted women entrepreneurs.

(iv)  The  Credit  Guarantee  Scheme  for  Start-ups  (CGSS)  to  provide  credit guarantee up to a specified limit against loans extended by Member Institutions (MIs) to finance eligible borrowers including women as defined in the Gazette Notification issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and amended from time to time.

(v) The Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) which is a major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities  through  establishment  of  micro-enterprises  in  the  non-farm sector.

(vi)  The  Government  has  made  enabling  provisions  in  the  Companies  Act, 2013, mandating companies to have at least one woman Director.

(vii) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) provides employment/ self-employment and credit facilities to street vendors. Majority of the beneficiaries under these schemes are women.

In addition to the above schemes, there are several other schemes/ initiatives also being implemented by nationalised banks to support women entrepreneurs. These include Mahila Udyam Nidhi Yojana, Dena Shakti Scheme, Stree Shakti Package for Women Entrepreneurs and Cent Kalyani Scheme etc.

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