From codebreakers to innovators: Celebrating women in tech

Published March 30, 2023   |   

Women in Tech Website Cover

Women’s History Month is a great time to reflect on inspiring women achievers. For generations, many have gone without being credited or applauded for their work. Recognition is the difference between Madame Marie Curie and Mileva Einstein-Maric. I would not be surprised if you have never heard of the latter.  

Today, the conversation around women in tech is more comprehensive than ever before. Here’s our pick of those who have carved a space for themselves in the Indian tech ecosystem. 

Ankur Dahiya, Co-founder and CEO, Rozana.in 

A doctoral program in AI & data science nor a rigorous regimen of taekwondo can prepare a person for entrepreneurship. For someone who hails from a conservative community in Haryana, there is a wider bridge to be crossed.  

Despite these socio-cultural hindrances, this is the principle that drove Ankur to start Rozana.in in 2021. During her stint at Routier, she visited rural places where people had to travel up to 10 km to purchase regular products. Her D2C e-commerce platform leverages tech and data science to solve the supply gap in rural areas. 

Ankur believes, “As long as the business idea solves a large gap and the basics are in place, I feel there are ample growth opportunities.” Today, this platform aims at incubating over 10 million tech micro-entrepreneurs all over the country. As of November 2022, its operations span close to 5000 gram panchayats in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. 

Kanika Agarrwal, Co-founder, Upside AI 

This investment banker didn’t have to look too far for inspiration. It was right in front of her. Kanika set her sights on developing an AI for investment decisions. The aim: remove the accompanying confusion.  

Upside AI, a tech-first asset management company, aims to provide unbiased financial advice with two distinct approaches 

  • Eliminating the possibility of human error 
  • Exposure to a wider spectrum of data 

Kanika did not let her non-technical background stop her. She learnt Python during the pandemic to understand the requirements. Now, she is fluent in tech-speak. As of January 2023, the company manages the wealth of nearly 100 high net worth individuals, and it aims to grow this base 5X by the end of 2023. 

Priti Rathi Gupta, Co-founder & MD, LXME 

Priti found her entrepreneurial idea in conversations with other women. She observed that they lacked confidence in handling even the simplest aspects of personal finance. That’s when she decided to start LXME, India’s first neobank for women.  

This personalized platform helps women take charge of their finances and attain financial freedom. Gupta’s way of balancing day to day activities and long-term timeline is certainly a factor that boosted LXME’s success. Today, this platform is the powerhouse for a community of 50000+ women. 

Dr. Jayantika Soni, Co-founder & CTO, Resync 

In the words of Lester Brown, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.” To give our future a habitable planet, sustainable energy management is a necessity. With a rich experience of around 14 years in the power and energy space, Dr Jayantika Soni went on to build Resync.  

This enterprise uses machine learning, IoT, and software to help clients opt for sustainable methods of running their energy systems, while also accounting for the cost factor. Her pursuit of shaping a more energy-conscious future has pushed Resync to expand its scope to eight markets internationally. It has also been ranked Top 25 on the APAC Cleantech List and Top 20 at Slinghot 2022. 

Juda Kanaprach, Co-founder & MD, Milieu Insight 

If there’s one thing we learn from Juda’s career, it’s that conservative mindsets around you do not matter if you have the due skills and meaningful friendships. Having started off her career in a petroleum refinery, which seldom saw women leadership, she says not stopping is the secret to success.  

Her style of work is marked by family-like relationships, and a courageous outlook. With such a strong presence nurturing the company, Milieu Insight is today an award-winning consumer research and data analytics company in the Southeast Asia region. 

Inspired enough? Good! We leave you with this quote, which sums up what these five women have done: 

“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire”