Will 2023 Bring More Revenue For Women Entrepreneurs Even After The Funding Winter? In recent years, we have witnessed a boom in the number of women entrepreneurs, which has positively affected the social and economic demographics of India.

In recent years, we have witnessed a boom in the number of women entrepreneurs, which has positively affected the social and economic demographics of India. Women are naturally inclined towards multi-tasking, and using those skills at the workplace has led to numerous success stories. According to a NASSCOM report, from 2014 to 2019, the percentage of women led start-ups has gone up from 8 per cent to 13 per cent. Yet another report by Boston Consulting Group discovered that start-ups which are founded or co-founded by women generate 10 per cent more cumulative revenue over a five-year period, along with the fact that they employ more women than men.

But what is the future for women led businesses in 2023, just after we have witnessed a brutal funding winter?

"Given the rising strength in numbers, women-owned start-ups are poised for more funding and growth in 2023. However, to make it a reality, women entrepreneurs must rivet their attention on developing core competencies and capabilities, necessary for them to complete their rarity and take their unique impact to the masses," says Harini Ramachandran, Co-Creator of Excellence Installations Technology and Co-founder of Antano & Harini, Legacy Accelerators.

Ramachandran believes that with the stakes rising, aspiring women entrepreneurs need to do the prep necessary, ahead of time, to take the big leap and accelerate their impact. In 2023, she sees women entrepreneurs leverage the power of technology like excellence installation to accelerate their personal evolution and be more daring, and capable and push the boundaries of what they considered possible.

"India has witnessed tremendous business and economic progress as a consequence of countless women entrepreneurs shattering glass ceilings. But their fight to be treated equally to their male counterparts is far from over. The majority of female entrepreneurs still encounter situations where their leadership is not acknowledged by a male-dominated workplace or industry. Women-led businesses are marginalized and have fewer opportunities as many seed funding programs and initiatives demand the fulfilment of masculine benchmarks. The outcomes of such biased mentorship end up benefiting men-owned businesses that already enjoy significant benefits. There is a push in the start-up ecosystem to promote women-led businesses and there is growing acceptance of such businesses," Sujata Pawar, Co-founder & CEO of Avni, A Feminine Hygiene and Menstrual Healthcare Start-up, tells us.

Pawar believes that from an investment perspective, the outlook for start-ups in 2023 appears bleak irrespective of the gender of the founders. Venture capitalists will exercise caution in the early going and negotiate hard over valuations until the funding storm passes. Early-stage start-ups that hold potential will gain substantially compared to their growth-stage competitors, who will have to contend with crumbs. Taking the structural gender bias into account, women-led start-ups will find it even more challenging to find ample sunshine and warmth in this funding winter.

"For women entrepreneurs to break the wall of gender inequality requires a change in worldview and behaviour from all participants – male and female. However, there have been many initiatives that have been started by both venture funds as well as the government in association with various incubation centres to set up women-focused funds. Importantly, women entrepreneurs must think more broadly and demand more because they deserve more," she says.