Bengaluru has always impressed with its vibrant food scene, efficient transport, and innovative spirit. Now, the city is rapidly emerging as a leading hub for women entrepreneurs, and a new report highlights just how significant its impact has become in supporting women-led startups.
Bengaluru Emerges As Top Hub For Women Entrepreneurs
As per the Bengaluru Innovation Report 2025, released by KDEM, 3One4 Capital, and Startup Karnataka, the city has witnessed an incredible growth in women entrepreneur-led startups. The city has witnessed an incredible growth in women-led startups. Between 2010 and 2025, Bengaluru became home to around 668 women-led startups, and together, they raised nearly $13.4 billion, reported Hindustan Times.
It is worth noting that with the new number, Bengaluru has put Delhi-NCR and Mumbai behind. During the same period, Delhi-NCR saw 712 women-led startups raise around $10 billion, while Mumbai had 465 such startups raising about $3.6 billion.
Since 2010, Bengaluru has attracted a whopping $79 billion in startup investments. Delhi-NCR follows with $46.5 billion, and Mumbai stands at $24 billion. Bengaluru now stands tall as the fifth-largest unicorn hub in the world. It is currently home to 53 unicorn businesses valued at $192 billion. That’s about 42% of India’s total unicorn valuation.
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Takes The Lead In Soonicorn Creation
Bengaluru currently has 39 soonicorns—startups expected to reach a 1-billion-dollar valuation—followed by Delhi-NCR with 30 and Mumbai with 21. According to Hindustan Times, these Bengaluru soonicorns have already raised $16.3 billion, reflecting the city’s rapidly maturing startup ecosystem.
The growth is supported by a large tech workforce of about 2.5 million software professionals. Despite its size, the median software salary remains around $12,000 per year, keeping operational costs relatively affordable. The city’s house price-to-income ratio of 9.5 also makes it more accessible than many global startup hubs.
Experts say Bengaluru is growing so fast because it keeps attracting skilled tech talent. Almost one out of every four people in the city works in tech or startups, and every year, 1.5 to 2 lakh new tech professionals move here—almost half of all tech hiring in India.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/Karola G (Representative Image)