Unicorns, but no wings for women: India’s startup boom is leaving female leaders behind
India may be racing ahead in the global startup race, but it’s dragging its feet when it comes to gender equity at the top. Behind the glitter of its 117 unicorns lies a sobering truth: Women occupy only 1 in 10 C-suite positions. In an economy fuelled by disruption, leadership remains disturbingly traditional, male, homogenous, and resistant to change.
This stark underrepresentation, revealed by a comprehensive study from talent solutions firm Xpheno, lays bare the systemic exclusion of women from the power corridors of India’s most celebrated enterprises. For a nation celebrated as a cradle of innovation, the leadership gap is not just a gender issue — it’s a failure of imagination.
Gendered glass walls: Women boxed into soft roles
The numbers don’t just hint at imbalance — they scream it. Of the 400 CXOs analysed across India’s unicorns, a staggering 62% of women hold HR portfolios, while core strategic and technology roles are virtually sealed off. Just 2% of CEOs are women, and fewer still reach CTO or CIO positions.
Meanwhile, men dominate what are perceived as “mission-critical” roles — 45% hold CEO, CFO, or CTO titles. This isn’t a meritocracy; it’s a tightly controlled club. Diversity has become a buzzword in boardrooms, but the power still circulates in familiar, male hands.
Success takes longer — and costs more — for women
The leadership ladder isn’t broken for women; it was never designed for them. The average age of a CXO is 43.5, but women rarely make it to the top before their late forties. Only 7% of CXOs between 33–37 are women, as compared to 16% in the 48–52 bracket.
Even then, women bring more to the table — 24 years of experience compared to men’s 22 — and tend to stay longer. But the return on their investment is meagre. Career breaks, implicit bias, and institutional lethargy hold them back. In a world that celebrates hustle, women are forced to endure a marathon while men sprint.
Mobility and monopoly: The cost of conformity
Mobility, both geographic and sectoral, remains a male privilege. Fewer women relocate for roles (31% vs. 33%), and even fewer switch industries — a sign of how limited their access to horizontal growth remains. The pipeline isn’t leaking; it’s clogged by outdated perceptions of what leadership should look like.
And at the very top, the gatekeepers rarely change. Among the 400 surveyed, 119 are founders still holding executive reins, further cementing a leadership culture that recycles power rather than redistributes it.
When pedigree isn’t enough
Elite degrees open doors — but not always for women. While 90% of CXOs with postgraduate credentials hail from top institutions, this privilege does not automatically translate to parity. The problem isn’t supply — it’s systemic bias. Women have the qualifications, but not the same permission to lead.
Venture Capital: The boys’ club funding the future
Even the venture capitalists — the architects of startup success — mirror this imbalance. A March report revealed glaring gender gaps in VC firms’ investment teams. Peak XV Partners is a rare exception with 13 women on a 44-member team. Others — like Stellaris, Nexus, and Z47 — have no female investors at all. When capital is controlled by a single demographic, so is the future it funds.
India’s innovation economy is still playing by old rules
In a country that prides itself on breaking boundaries, the leadership structure of its most iconic startups is stuck in a loop of exclusion. The message is clear: You can build the next big idea, but unless you fit the mould, you won’t lead it.
The startup ecosystem can no longer afford to treat gender diversity as an HR initiative. It is a strategic, economic, and moral imperative. Because innovation without inclusion is not progress — it’s hypocrisy.
