Recap 2025: 5 Women-led Startups that Raised Big Bucks this Year

By: WE Staff

Laina Emmanuel & Rimjhim Agrawal – BrainSight AI

Laina Emmanuel and Rimjhim Agrawal are the co-founders of BrainSight AI, a Bengaluru-based deeptech startup advancing AI-driven brain mapping and diagnostics. Laina, CEO and an ISB-trained healthcare professional, brings over 15 years of experience across healthcare policy, consulting, and technology, including work with the Government of India and global health organizations. Rimjhim, CTO and a PhD holder from NIMHANS, leads the integration of neuroscience and machine learning to build clinically robust neuro-diagnostic tools.

BrainSight AI operates as a software-as-a-medical-device platform, certified by India’s CDSCO, enabling personalized neuropsychiatric care. In January 2025, the company raised $5 million in pre-Series A funding, supporting product advancement, wider clinical adoption, and global scale-up, positioning it as a notable women-led deeptech venture.

Vineeta Singh – SUGAR Cosmetics

Vineeta Singh, Co-founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics, has played a defining role in building one of India’s most successful direct-to-consumer beauty brands. In July 2025, SUGAR raised ₹40.99 crore (approximately $5 million) in a Series D funding round, reaffirming strong investor confidence in its omnichannel strategy and loyal consumer base. The capital is set to support category expansion, offline retail growth, and deeper penetration into Tier II and Tier III markets.

An IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad alumna, Vineeta chose entrepreneurship over high-paying corporate roles, co-founding SUGAR in 2015 to create bold, India-first beauty products. Today, the brand commands over 45,000 retail touchpoints nationwide, while Vineeta remains a prominent startup mentor and investor.