Why 8 in 10 LPs Still Don’t Back Women—And What Ankita’s Doing About It

Venture capital is changing—and so is India. In this episode, we dive deep with Ankita Vashistha, the trailblazing investor behind Saha Fund and Arise Ventures.

From building Singapore’s first government-backed fund to leading a ₹500 Crore gender-lens powerhouse, Ankita’s story is one of grit, foresight, and redefining alpha. With 5 unicorns, 50+ investments, and a global accelerator reaching 5,000+ founders a year—this is more than investing. It’s revolution.

Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:50 - #1 From Copycat to Category Creator – The Rise of India as a Global Builder

08:32 - #2 Gender Lens ≠ Charity. It’s Alpha.

17:53 - #3 The Venture Capital Playbook Needs a Reboot—For India

19:42 - #4 From Capital Allocator to Company Builder

21:47 - #5 Be Loud. Be Clear. Be Your Own Champion.

22:47 - Closing Remark:Legacy in Motion

ABOUT ANKITA

With over 16 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, innovation, diversity and impact investing, Ankita is a passionate and visionary venture capital investor and entrepreneur. 

Ankita founded and led two pioneering funds, StrongHer Ventures and Saha Fund, that invest in and promote women engagement, empowerment and entrepreneurship through digital technology and now leading her third fund - Arise Ventures. 

Ankita also co-authored of the book "Innovation at Scale", which covers how digital is transforming industries and creating opportunities for women. 

FOLLOW ANKITA:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavashistha/

https://www.instagram.com/ankitasvashistha/

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