EXPLORING THE MAJOR CHALLENGES OF WOMEN-LED STARTUPS IN INDIA: A FOCUS ON BENGALURU, KARNATAKA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i5.2024.6190Keywords:
Women Entrepreneurship, Startup Ecosystem, Gender Bias, Entrepreneurial Challenges, Access to Finance, Mentorship, Bengaluru, Work–Life Balance, Regulatory Barriers, IndiaAbstract [English]
This study investigates the key challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in launching and sustaining startups in India, with a specific focus on Bengaluru, Karnataka. Despite the city's vibrant startup ecosystem, women-led ventures continue to encounter systemic barriers, including limited access to funding, gender bias, lack of mentorship, complex regulatory frameworks, and work–life balance struggles. Utilizing primary data collected from 335 women entrepreneurs, the research applies descriptive statistics and Likert-scale analysis to highlight critical impediments across various dimensions of entrepreneurial engagement. The findings underscore the urgent need for inclusive financial systems, targeted mentorship, safer work environments, and enabling infrastructure to support women entrepreneurs. Policy implications and recommendations are also discussed to enhance gender equity in the entrepreneurial landscape.
References
Brush, C. G., Carter, N. M., Gatewood, E., Greene, P. G., & Hart, M. M. (2009). Growth-oriented women entrepreneurs and their businesses: A global research perspective. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Carter, S., & Shaw, E. (2006). Women's business ownership: Recent research and policy developments. Report for the Small Business Service.
Dhameja, S. K. (2002). Women entrepreneurs: Opportunities, performance, and problems. Deep and Deep Publications.
Gupta, V. K., & Turban, D. B. (2012). The role of gender stereotypes in perceptions of women entrepreneurs. Journal of Business Ethics, 108(3), 361–370.
ILO. (2015). Women entrepreneurship development in India. International Labour Organization.
Jamali, D. (2009). Constraints and opportunities facing women entrepreneurs in developing countries: A relational perspective. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 24(4), 232–251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17542410910961532
Mishra, A., & Kiran, R. (2017). Marketing challenges faced by women entrepreneurs: Evidence from India. International Journal of Management Studies, 4(2), 45-52.
NASSCOM. (2019). Women in technology: Shaping the startup ecosystem in India. National Association of Software and Service Companies.
Sharma, A. (2013). Societal norms and women entrepreneurs: A study on barriers faced by women in Indian society. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(9), 85-90.
Sinha, S. (2005). Women entrepreneurs in India: Issues and challenges. Journal of Entrepreneurship, 14(1), 53-65.
The Hindu. (2024, January 10). Women startup founders in Karnataka receive low VC funding. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/women-startup-funding-karnataka/article
Economic Times. (2024, February 5). Safety and infrastructure concerns plague women entrepreneurs in Bengaluru. Retrieved from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Tharamani S, Bhavani V. L
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
