Over 1 Lakh Startups have at Least One-Woman Director/Partner Among 2.12 Lakh Recognised by DPIIT
Over 1 Lakh Startups have at Least One-Woman Director/Partner Among 2.12 Lakh Recognised by DPIIT
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.
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.
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 catalyse 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 31st January 2026.
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.
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 1st 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 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 31st 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
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada in Lok Sabha today.
***
ANNEXURE-I
The State/UT-wise and year-wise number of entities recognized as startups that have at least one-woman director/partner, as on 31st 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
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
The year-wise details of funds invested in startups by AIFs supported under the FFS, as on 31st 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
3491.10
576.14
2022
5973.40
430.72
2023
3292.10
57.24
2024
3809.20
616.82
2025
4271.60
914.47
2026
311.40
65.79
*Note: Data on investment in women-led startups is available from 2020.
ANNEXURE-IV
The year-wise details of funds approved to startups by incubators selected under the SISFS, as on 31st 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
ANNEXURE-V
The year-wise details of loans guaranteed to startups under the CGSS, as on 31st 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