Why Should Every Startup Have a Female Co-Founder?

They say, " The magnitude of a startup is directly proportional to the vision of its founders." Rightly so, starting up is all about getting things right with your vision. And that's where the right mix of determination, skills and perseverance comes into play. Where male founders are known more for their skills, time and again - the women squad have proved that no matter what the situation throws at them, the women in our country know how to battle it all. Hence, at this outset - When we celebrate womanhood globally, we asked the women in the startup fraternity about the need for atleast one female founder. Here's what they have to say:

Mitali Tandon, Founder, Morning Fresh
Priya Singh, Co-founder and Director, Chalo Mobility
Nitisha Agarwal, Co-founder and COO of Digidarts
Pushpanjali Banerji, CoFounder, AstroJudge
Mansi Gupta, Founder at Tjori
Nupur Khandelwal, Co-founder at Navia Life Care
Ishvinder Kaur, Founding Principal at ivpartner
Kriti Jindal, Owner and Designer at Kari by Kriti
Dipali Mathur Dayal, CEO and Co-Founder at Super Smelly
Imaan Javan, Director at Suntuity Renewable Energy India
Deeksha Rai Chawla, CEO at Housee Of Cleeo
Divanshi Gupta, Director at The Marcom Avenue
Kamakshi Sood, Co-Founder at Petveda
Neelam Gupta, Founder President & CEO at AROH Foundation
Annu Talreja, CEO and Founder at Oxfordcaps
Chinu Kala, Founder at Rubans Accessories
Avneet Makkar, Founder & CEO at CarveNiche Technologies
Poonam Prahlad, Founder & CEO at CafePopShop
Moushumi Pal, Founder at Woodpecker Media
Yogita Tulsiani, CEO at iXceed Solutions
Kusum Bhandari, Director at Bhookha Haathi
Moqierish Tak, Co-Founder at India Assist Insights
Dr. Sruthi Gondi, Founder and Dermatologist at Science Of Skin
Freny Jariwala, Founder at The Secret Ingredient
Geeta Kumana, Proprietor at Prime Health Support
Ankita Sheth, Co-Founder at Vista Rooms
Karishma V Mangal, Director and Trustee Thakur International School - Cambridge
San Banerjee, CEO & Founder at ADDA
Shradha Vyas, Founder at Carpediem Events

Mitali Tandon, Founder, Morning Fresh

In today's professional landscape, the presence of women in leadership teams is essential, and here's why I believe that. Women bring a wealth of diverse perspectives, innovative thinking, and problem-solving skills to the table. Their insights into customer needs and market dynamics are invaluable for making informed decisions. Moreover, women foster inclusive team dynamics and challenge outdated stereotypes. It's not just about meeting quotas; it's about recognizing talent and promoting fairness. As a professional, I advocate for
gender diversity in leadership, even in my teams.

Priya Singh, Co-founder and Director, Chalo Mobility

Women bring a newer perspective and empathy to the table. Having a female co-
founder ensures the startup understands the needs and preferences of this
demographic, leading to more relevant products and services. With more women onboard, solutions emerging out of such startups will be well-rounded and avoid blind spots.

I think women also bring a different kind of leadership that encourages collaboration, leading to a more positive work environment. A woman co-founder will also inspire other women in the company to pursue entrepreneurship and leadership goals.

That being said, the best co-founder, regardless of gender, is someone who can
complement the team and work towards the company’s vision.

Nitisha Agarwal, Co-founder and COO of Digidarts

In my opinion, a woman’s role goes way beyond the title of a co-founder; I believe there should be a woman in every boardroom in every organization. Being a woman brings a new perspective on topics and further adds to the diversity of all the operations in an organization. Women have always been multi-taskers and can focus on a spectrum of tasks, thus bringing coherence and synergy to the overall
organizational goals. Therefore, having a female in every boardroom is a must for startups looking to succeed in today's competitive landscape.

Pushpanjali Banerji, CoFounder, AstroJudge

While it's not a rule that every startup must have a female co-founder, the benefits of gender diversity in leadership are clear. It's important for startups to consider the value that a female co-founder can bring to their business. With her unique insights, understanding of the market, and positive impact on team dynamics, she can play a key role in the startup's success and champion gender inclusivity in the
business world.

Mansi Gupta, Founder at Tjori

Women are known for their strong instincts, which is why it’s always good to have female co-founders on the team, simply to balance things out and to be able to get the advantages of the female ways of thinking and working. Depending on the area rof our startup, a female co-founder role can also be crucial. It can be a huge benefit to have women onboard. She understands the topic and product better in relation to emotional intelligence, she might be the better person to do the business development, etc.

Nupur Khandelwal, Co-founder at Navia Life Care

I believe gender diversity within the leadership plays a crucial role in the success of any organisation. Women come up with a fresh approach to problem solving which often leads to better decision making, something we’ve witnessed firsthand at Navia too.
Also, women definitely play a vital role in building a more stable and value-driven culture.

Ishvinder Kaur, Founding Principal at ivpartner

Surely not at least but as many, I believe women today are required to not just be founders o entrepreneurs but in every domain of an organisation. Coming in of more women entrepreneurs into the marketplace has created an opportunity for more successful & diverse enterprises. Women leaders have a valuable and unique perspective that brings in new creative solutions & help broaden horizons. Women in the workplace also have the brilliant ability to foster and maintain long-term relationships. They have efficient communication, organisational and multi-tasking skills that are integral to every area of work.

Kriti Jindal, Owner and Designer at Kari by Kriti

I have not approached the government for any help as of now. I would love to suggest a portal that has all the information required to set up a company, documents, finances, govt schemes for entrepreneurs, taxes and GST information at one place. At the moment there is no one easy to refer to a website that can help me understand the requirements to grow my business effectively keeping the laws in mind. I often have to reach out to other entrepreneurs and Etsy for help and most often than not their needs and requirements are very different from mine. Having a portal with a working helpline is the need of the hour.

Dipali Mathur Dayal, CEO and Co-Founder at Super Smelly

Not just co-founders, I believe that for every male CEO, there should be a female CEO, for every male CFO there should be a female CFO, and so on. Today, women are nearly 50% of India’s population, but only 20% are a part of the workforce and a minuscule 7% of them make it to c-suite jobs. It is not possible for India to grow at a rate of 9-10% with only about half of its population contributing to the economy.

Imaan Javan, Director at Suntuity Renewable Energy India

If you take a closer look at how any known female co-founder either in India or overseas has shaped her company, you will realize that the value that she brings to her company is not just about doing mundane business. She comes with a vision and a passion to excel. The company becomes an extension of herself and that’s the core difference a woman co-founder makes to a company or organization.

Deeksha Rai Chawla, CEO at Housee Of Cleeo

Women add life and character to any work. Be it a corporate, an event management firm or a business, women are able to provide a detailed analysis to any situation. They are sharp, have a keen attention to detail, and play a crucial role in defining the culture of an organisation!

Divanshi Gupta, Director at The Marcom Avenue

Like marriage is about a long term healthy partnership between two people, running an organization with a female co-founder is similar. I, as a woman entrepreneur, believe that there is a lot that a woman can add to management with their personal experience in handling things related to- operations, strategy, human resources and whatnot. Also, it can be seen that women in leadership in an organization will help in increasing team productivity and enhancing collaboration to inspire organizational dedication.
Also, women are soft speakers, and in case of a thriving working environment, handling matters at hand with utmost and deliberate calmness becomes quite necessary. So, I think having at least one female co-founder in the organization is a must.

Kamakshi Sood, Co-Founder at Petveda

In general, women are more organized than men which makes a lot of things easier in the long run. Also, Women tend to have keen eyes for details, which men may overlook at times.

Neelam Gupta, Founder President & CEO at AROH Foundation

Women have certain distinctive characteristics, such as empathy, intuition, and optimism, which greatly contribute towards building excellent workplace relationships and they become the drivers of success for any organization. Women are also considered to be more emotionally intelligent, passionate, and helpful, the traits which create healthy professional relationships and a cohesive workforce within an organisation. When faced by a difficult problem, women generally come up with intuitive solutions with their unique leadership styles, that not only bring a different perspective, but also paves way to success of a company.
Women leaders are found to be even more effective in social sector where communication, soft skills, understanding, compassion and empathy are much needed traits where women excel. Women have undoubtedly better social and networking skills which they can use to encourage high level partnerships and collaborations on the one hand, and the poor and vulnerable communities at the bottom of the pyramid, on the other. Having a women co-founder not only showcases gender balance and diversity in the company, but it also balances every perspective of business through their unique and different approach.

Annu Talreja, CEO and Founder at Oxfordcaps

Having a female Co-Founder is very beneficial for an organization. For us, female sensibilities impact everything we do – right from looking at Student Housing as a service-based business as opposed to a pure brick & mortar real estate, to developing a team which feels valued and creates an inclusive culture. Our sensibilities shape our interactions both in the market as well as within the organization.

Chinu Kala, Founder at Rubans Accessories

Ultimately it all boils down to the vision. An entrepreneur is one who has the vision to take the organization to the next level. So, anyone who can grow the business today, and keep an eye on business goal is the best fit for any organization. If that person is a woman, it gives an added advantage as the organization gets to have a female perspective.
Today, 50% of the consumers of any business are females.So, it’s a good idea to have both perspectives in any decision-making process.

Avneet Makkar, Founder & CEO at CarveNiche Technologies

Research has shown that women led companies have much more symmetrical gender differences, than all male founders company. Women led startups actually hire 2.5 times more women than established firms that are all male. Organizations with all male founders have shown a tendency not to have as many women as employees.

Poonam Prahlad, Founder & CEO at CafePopShop

Both men and women think differently. They have different approach to deal with a problem. Being a woman myself, I would say, it is always better to have at least one female co-founder in the team who can balance out the thought process and bring a second perspective to the table. Also, women possess some great qualities like the willingness to understand others and have a compassionate nature which is quintessential to take the diverse work force together in any company.

Moushumi Pal, Founder at Woodpecker Media

So, in nature, there is always a need to maintain a balance. In the Chinese, it is known as Yin and Yan. I like to believe that having a woman co-founder balances a lot of things out.
Look at Sheryl Sandberg! Mark Zuckerberg hired her when they were not even looking for a COO. He found her intellect and experience to be of value and thus, carved a role for her then and there. She is the one who pushed for Facebook Ads, one of the most successful marketing tools used today in the business.
Having a woman co-founder can bring in the empathetic quotient to the organisation and also bring in the social skills that are usually the forte of the ladies.

Yogita Tulsiani, CEO at iXceed Solutions

The study shows that women-owned firms have better company ethics, high value, and limpidity. In low GDP countries, female businesses can offer a way out of poverty for women faced with few other prospects, which means a remarkable social change. Enhancing female entrepreneurial skills and supporting women who wish to scale up will go a long way to close the productivity gaps.

• Diversity fosters creativity and results in better decision making by encouraging new information and perspectives
• Increasing the proportion of women entrepreneurs within the SME landscape enhance value creation for the economy, as a result of the different skills, experiences, insights, and ideas they can bring.
• Statistics: companies with higher gender diversity are 21% more likely to outperform their industry peers with lower diversity ratios on profitability and 27 percent more likely to create superior value
• Statistics -Companies with one or more women on the board have delivered higher average returns on equity, lower gearing, better average growth, and higher price/book value multiples.

Kusum Bhandari, Director at Bhookha Haathi

Having at least one female co-founder not only provides a balanced perspective but also brings gender diversity to any organization. Women are emotionally stronger and more adept at handling tricky situations with calm and ease. A woman’s intuitive abilities are a great compliment to the risk-taking capabilities of their male counterparts. Women are good listeners which combined with their problem-solving skills, can help in resolving day-to-day issues and conflicts arising in the organization. Their soft skills help bring discipline and much cohesive work environment that is required for any organization to succeed. Women create deeper bonds with their peers and the team which is very crucial for smoother operations in any organization.

Moqierish Tak, Co-Founder at India Assist Insights

A female co-founder brings many skills with her to the table. Some of them are multi-tasking and an eye for detailing, which I think is a black spot with most men. Apart from that women entrepreneur generally bring social discipline in the organisation.
Women have natural endurance and ability to bear more built within them and because of that chances of them sticking outthrough thick and thin are far more than otherwise.

Dr. Sruthi Gondi, Founder and Dermatologist at Science Of Skin

The way men and women think are extremely different. Men are usually very rational and very practical in their approach and mind-set. Women approach situations very differently. We have the ability to gauge instincts and can visualize, and anticipate any forthcomings, and catch vibes better. Hence it is advisable to always have one women co-founder on board. Also, there are extremely successful women entrepreneurs today who are giving the men a run for their money.

Freny Jariwala, Founder at The Secret Ingredient

Because balance is important. A woman brings a fresh approach to problem-solving and distinctive leadership styles that can bring in different viewpoints to a particular task or activity.
It is said that women are more intuitive and better in soft-skills. Also, women are emotionally stronger, good at multi-tasking as well as bringing order and discipline in any organization and we look for things that sometimes would have been ignored in plain oversight.

Geeta Kumana, Proprietor at Prime Health Support

In India, patriarchy is so imbibed in our culture, that it is almost taken for granted that a woman will give up her job once she gets married and has children. Hence, very few women reach the top.
I believe it is very important that at least one woman should be a co-founder so that she is given the respect and her point of view can be heard.
In a patriarchal society like ours, barring a few enlightened or evolved men, work places are also usually influenced by the male way of approaching employees, especially women employees, which is matter-of-fact & detached. Women’s interactions on the other hand are characterised by much more compassion, caring & understanding, because they have higher EQs. The whole atmosphere changes when women are at the top of an organisation.
A work place with one more female co-founder will also ensure greater safety, and greater respect for women employees.

Ankita Sheth, Co-Founder at Vista Rooms

Women, in general, are considered to be more organised and tend to pay attention to detail. They are always on a race against time, hence, proving to get things done quickly. They also focus more on the emotional side of things rather than being transactional, balancing out their male counterparts.

Karishma V Mangal, Director and Trustee Thakur International School - Cambridge

I would like to bring to this a scientifically proven fact- women can multitask. Now if that's not a superpower, I do not know what is. This ability is what makes women juggle both work and home with much more ease than men, but then again our culture doesn’t expect men to manage both home and work! Gender diversity, according to me brings in better outcomes, be it planning, decision making, financial success or growth of an organisation.
Women bring in a certain discipline and are twice as tenacious, they are also highly intuitive and sensitive to human emotions and that makes them great managers and leaders. Also, women are better communicators, which leads to the success of any venture or project.

San Banerjee, CEO & Founder at ADDA

In ADDA we have had a balanced gender ratio throughout the journey. The fact that it happened naturally - I attribute to the fact that we have female co-founders and 3 of 6 Leadership roles are held by women. Perhaps female co-founders send the message to women employees that they will not be limited in their growth due to their gender, and the unavoidable additional responsibilities that come with it.
Just like a human being is complete when their masculine and feminine sides are equally evolved and balanced, an organization is the same way. When gender ratio is equal the work culture becomes balanced, there is no toxic bro culture, there's a natural focus on retaining customers not just on acquiring them, employees work much more easily with customers of either gender as they are doing with colleagues.

Shradha Vyas, Founder at Carpediem Events

While I do not promote feminism, a female co-founder is important, because

• The approach to problems is different (more realistic more diversity in approach)
• Generally more calm and understanding of situations
• Better at multi-tasking
• Communication skills and sensitivity approach much higher with women usually.

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Conclusion

Women's multitasking skills are unparalleled. These women have given their two cents on why having a female co-founder is beneficial to a startup. If you are on the lookout for a co-founder, do think of hiring a woman based on these responses.