Lok Sabha Question No. 4037 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Women Led Startups
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Dr. Sharmila Sarkar, Ms. Mahua Moitra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4037. TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2026.

## WOMEN LED STARTUPS

## 4037.  DR. SHARMILA SARKAR: MS. MAHUA MOITRA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) the  details  and  number  of  recognised  women  led  start-ups  launched  since 2014, year and State-wise;
- (b) the number of women-led start-ups that have shut down since 2014, year and State-wise details;
- (c) the details of Government funds invested in startups since 2014, year, scheme and fund-wise;
- (d) the details of Government funds invested in women-led startups since 2014, year, scheme and fund-wise; and
- (e) the  number  and  details  of  these  recognised  start-ups  that  shut  down  had availed funding under Fund of Funds for startups (FFS) Startups India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS), scheme-wise?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री ( श्री णिणिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

- (a): Startup India initiative was launched on 16th January 2016, with an intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups and encouraging investments in the startup ecosystem of the country.

As on 31st January 2026, a total of 2,12,283 entities have been recognised as startups  by  the  Department  for  Promotion  of  Industry  and  Internal  Trade (DPIIT). Of the total entities recognised as startups, 1,02,054 entities have at least  one-woman  director/partner.  The  State/Union  Territory  (UT)-wise  and year-wise details of entities recognised as startups with at least one-woman director/partner are placed as Annexure-I.

- (b): As on 31st January 2026, a total of 2,12,283 entities have been recognised as startups by DPIIT. The data with respect to status of entities (active, dissolved, struck-off, etc.) is maintained by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on a cumulative basis. As per the MCA, 6,789 recognised startups are categorized as closed (i.e., dissolved/struck-off). Of the total number of entities which are categorized  as  closed  (i.e.,  dissolved/struck-off),  2,950  have  at  least  one woman director/partner. The State/UT-wise details of the same are placed as Annexure-II.
- (c) & (d): Under  the  Startup  India  initiative,  the  Government  is  implementing  flagship Schemes such as Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) to support startups across categories at various stages of their business cycle.

FFS  has  been  established  to  catalyze  venture  capital  investments  and  is operationalized by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), which provides capital to Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) which in turn invest in startups. As on 31st January 2026, supported AIFs under the Scheme have invested around Rs. 25,859 crore  in  selected  startups.  Further,  from  2020  onwards,  around  Rs. 2,995  crore  have  been  invested  in  women-led  startups  by  AIFs  under  the Scheme, as on 31 st  January 2026. The year-wise details of the same are placed as Annexure-III .

SISFS provides financial assistance to seed stage startups through incubators. SISFS is implemented from 1st April 2021. As on 31st January 2026, selected incubators under the Scheme have approved funding of around Rs. 592 crore to  selected  startups,  of  which  funds  of  around  Rs.  294  crore  have  been approved  to  women-led  startups.  The  year-wise  details  are  placed  as Annexure-IV .

CGSS is implemented for enabling debt funding to startups through eligible financial institutions. CGSS is operationalized by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee  Company  (NCGTC)  Limited  and  has  been  operationalized  from  1 st April 2023. As on 31st January 2026, loans amounting to around Rs 925 crore have been  guaranteed  to  startup  borrowers,  of  which  loans  amounting  to around Rs 39 crore have been guaranteed to women-led startups. The yearwise details are placed as Annexure-V .

- (e): The total number of startups selected and the total number of startups that are categorized  as  closed  (i.e.,  dissolved/struck-off)  as  per  the  MCA,  under  the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) are as follows:

| Scheme   | No. of startups selected for support under the Scheme as on 31 st January 2026 No. of startups supported which are categorized as closed (i.e., dissolved/struck- off) as per the MCA.   |   No. of startups selected for support under the Scheme as on 31 st January 2026 No. of startups supported which are categorized as closed (i.e., dissolved/struck- off) as per the MCA. |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| FFS      | 1,382                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                       17 |
| SISFS    | 3,311                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                       26 |
| CGSS     | 281                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                        1 |

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ANNEXURE-I ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4037 FOR ANSWER ON 17.03.2026.

The State/UT-wise and year-wise number of entities recognised as startups that have at least onewoman director/partner, as on 31 st  January 2026, are as under:

| State/UT                                 | 2017   | 2018   | 2019   | 2020   | 2021   | 2022   | 2023   | 2024   | 2025   | 2026   |
|------------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands              | 1      | 1      | 4      | 2      | 5      | 4      | 3      | 10     | 8      | 2      |
| Andhra Pradesh                           | 37     | 85     | 92     | 102    | 137    | 173    | 294    | 313    | 670    | 59     |
| Arunachal Pradesh                        | -      | -      | -      | -      | 4      | 5      | 8      | 5      | 16     | -      |
| Assam                                    | 8      | 28     | 30     | 53     | 83     | 122    | 168    | 170    | 216    | 24     |
| Bihar                                    | 23     | 53     | 59     | 114    | 183    | 257    | 384    | 417    | 600    | 63     |
| Chandigarh                               | 8      | 10     | 21     | 27     | 38     | 36     | 64     | 49     | 57     | 4      |
| Chhattisgarh                             | 18     | 55     | 69     | 54     | 82     | 91     | 148    | 218    | 230    | 25     |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 1      |        | 1      | 3      | 4      | 7      | 6      | 12     | 12     | 1      |
| Delhi                                    | 240    | 568    | 671    | 834    | 1197   | 1283   | 1607   | 1471   | 1911   | 166    |
| Goa                                      | 13     | 24     | 22     | 27     | 41     | 49     | 40     | 64     | 86     | 5      |
| Gujarat                                  | 108    | 217    | 313    | 365    | 800    | 944    | 1431   | 1568   | 1845   | 184    |
| Haryana                                  | 98     | 233    | 360    | 375    | 532    | 674    | 893    | 888    | 1250   | 116    |
| Himachal Pradesh                         | 1      | 6      | 14     | 12     | 23     | 56     | 65     | 74     | 83     | 12     |
| Jammu and Kashmir                        | 2      | 14     | 12     | 23     | 40     | 71     | 82     | 111    | 150    | 20     |
| Jharkhand                                | 16     | 35     | 37     | 85     | 89     | 108    | 172    | 151    | 207    | 22     |
| Karnataka                                | 298    | 536    | 807    | 757    | 1065   | 1242   | 1500   | 1629   | 2219   | 196    |
| Kerala                                   | 49     | 112    | 267    | 249    | 398    | 431    | 534    | 506    | 736    | 81     |
| Ladakh                                   | -      | -      | -      | 1      | -      | 1      | 3      | 2      | 1      | -      |
| Lakshadweep                              | -      | -      | -      | 1      | -      | -      | -      | -      | -      | -      |
| Madhya Pradesh                           | 32     | 123    | 150    | 173    | 264    | 421    | 622    | 616    | 846    | 121    |
| Maharashtra                              | 388    | 839    | 1110   | 1305   | 1937   | 2412   | 2913   | 3043   | 4043   | 386    |
| Manipur                                  | 3      | 1      | 1      | 5      | 21     | 13     | 7      | 22     | 42     | 4      |
| Meghalaya                                | -      | 1      | 5      | -      | 5      | 5      | 6      | 11     | 12     | -      |
| Mizoram                                  | -      | -      | -      | 1      | 1      | 3      | 6      | 6      | 6      | -      |
| Nagaland                                 | 1      | 1      | 1      | 3      | 4      | 3      | 13     | 21     | 15     | -      |
| Odisha                                   | 40     | 80     | 90     | 126    | 196    | 230    | 329    | 296    | 409    | 40     |
| Puducherry                               | 2      | 7      | 6      | 3      | 7      | 11     | 21     | 13     | 28     | 5      |
| Punjab                                   | 9      | 35     | 54     | 72     | 125    | 147    | 226    | 219    | 268    | 31     |
| Rajasthan                                | 53     | 114    | 192    | 205    | 301    | 458    | 691    | 657    | 906    | 87     |
| Sikkim                                   | -      | -      | -      | 1      | -      | 2      | 1      | -      | 3      | -      |
| Tamil Nadu                               | 105    | 221    | 318    | 378    | 591    | 922    | 1333   | 1341   | 1674   | 159    |
| Telangana                                | 134    | 232    | 306    | 390    | 520    | 723    | 919    | 933    | 1619   | 146    |
| Tripura                                  | -      | 1      | 4      | 10     | 4      | 13     | 8      | 20     | 17     | 4      |
| Uttar Pradesh                            | 174    | 364    | 449    | 662    | 1065   | 1303   | 1788   | 1842   | 2525   | 301    |
| Uttarakhand                              | 11     | 27     | 57     | 53     | 77     | 121    | 125    | 131    | 204    | 16     |
| West Bengal                              | 72     | 142    | 158    | 199    | 360    | 527    | 622    | 585    | 804    | 83     |
| Total                                    | 1945   | 4165   | 5680   | 6670   | 10199  | 12868  | 17032  | 17414  | 23718  | 2363   |

********

## ANNEXURE-II

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4037 FOR ANSWER ON 17.03.2026.

The  State/UT-wise  details  of  the  total  number  of  entities  which  are  categorized  as closed (i.e., dissolved/struck-off) as per the MCA  with  at least  one  woman director/partner are as follows:

| State/UT          |   No. of entities which are categorized as closed (i.e., dissolved/struck-off) with at least one woman director/partner |
|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh    |                                                                                                                      48 |
| Assam             |                                                                                                                      25 |
| Bihar             |                                                                                                                      36 |
| Chandigarh        |                                                                                                                      12 |
| Chhattisgarh      |                                                                                                                      28 |
| Delhi             |                                                                                                                     324 |
| Goa               |                                                                                                                      14 |
| Gujarat           |                                                                                                                     156 |
| Haryana           |                                                                                                                     133 |
| Himachal Pradesh  |                                                                                                                       7 |
| Jammu and Kashmir |                                                                                                                      16 |
| Jharkhand         |                                                                                                                      24 |
| Karnataka         |                                                                                                                     384 |
| Kerala            |                                                                                                                      97 |
| Madhya Pradesh    |                                                                                                                      81 |
| Maharashtra       |                                                                                                                     586 |
| Manipur           |                                                                                                                       4 |
| Meghalaya         |                                                                                                                       1 |
| Mizoram           |                                                                                                                       1 |
| Nagaland          |                                                                                                                       2 |
| Odisha            |                                                                                                                      49 |
| Puducherry        |                                                                                                                       6 |
| Punjab            |                                                                                                                      29 |
| Rajasthan         |                                                                                                                      95 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                                                                                                                     173 |
| Telangana         |                                                                                                                     176 |
| Tripura           |                                                                                                                       5 |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                                                                                                                     303 |
| Uttarakhand       |                                                                                                                      19 |
| West Bengal       |                                                                                                                     116 |
| Total             |                                                                                                                    2950 |

- *********

ANNEXURE-III ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) & (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4037 FOR ANSWER ON 17.03.2026. The year-wise details of funds invested in startups by AIFs supported under the FFS, as on 31 st  January 2026, are as under:

|   Year |   Amount invested by selected AIFs in startups (in Rs. crore) | Amount invested by selected AIFs in women-led startups (in Rs. crore)*   |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   2017 |                                                        343.52 | -                                                                        |
|   2018 |                                                        676.84 | -                                                                        |
|   2019 |                                                       1623.56 | -                                                                        |
|   2020 |                                                       2066.89 | 333.96                                                                   |
|   2021 |                                                       3491.1  | 576.14                                                                   |
|   2022 |                                                       5973.4  | 430.72                                                                   |
|   2023 |                                                       3292.1  | 57.24                                                                    |
|   2024 |                                                       3809.2  | 616.82                                                                   |
|   2025 |                                                       4271.6  | 914.47                                                                   |
|   2026 |                                                        311.4  | 65.79                                                                    |

*Note: Data on investment in women-led startups is available from 2020.

********

ANNEXURE-IV ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) & (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4037 FOR ANSWER ON 17.03.2026. The year-wise details of funds approved to startups by incubators selected under the

SISFS, as on 31 st  January 2026, are as under:

|   Year |   Amount approved to startups by selected incubators (in Rs. crore) |   Amount approved to women- led startups by selected incubators (in Rs. crore) |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   2021 |                                                               27.59 |                                                                          14.05 |
|   2022 |                                                              111.78 |                                                                          53.74 |
|   2023 |                                                              175.98 |                                                                          87.43 |
|   2024 |                                                              165.83 |                                                                          84.22 |
|   2025 |                                                              110.04 |                                                                          54.52 |
|   2026 |                                                                0.9  |                                                                           0.79 |

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ANNEXURE-V ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) & (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4037 FOR ANSWER ON 17.03.2026. The year-wise details  of  loans  guaranteed  to  startups  under  the  CGSS,  as  on  31 st

January 2026, are as under:

|   Year |   Amount of loans guaranteed to startups (in Rs. crore) |   Amount of loans guaranteed to women- led startups (in Rs. crore) |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   2023 |                                                  220.78 |                                                              13.6  |
|   2024 |                                                  381.08 |                                                              13.44 |
|   2025 |                                                  206.32 |                                                              10.18 |
|   2026 |                                                  117.72 |                                                               2    |

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