Women's Day: Women Founders on Capital Raising & Collective Support

By: WE Staff

Aanchal Saini, CEO, Flyrobe

Aanchal is a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur who founded a fashion rental platform and expanded through strategic acquisition, bringing expertise in entrepreneurship, arbitration, and dispute resolution laws.

Initially during your journey, did entrepreneurship feel like a “natural” choice or a deviation from expected gender norms? 

Entrepreneurship felt like a natural progression for me. Before building Flyrobe, I was practicing law, where every matter I handled carried a life-or-death level of seriousness—whether it was my own case or one led by a senior. That environment trained me to take ownership, think on my feet, and stay deeply accountable. Looking back, the seed of entrepreneurship was being unknowingly watered during those years.

Access to capital can be the make or break for founders. Data suggests that raising capital is considerably tougher for women founders. How do you think funding dynamics differ for women-led startups in India? 

Access to capital for women founders can feel uneven—there’s no denying that. Part of this stems from investor psychology. Investors back founders for the long haul, and historically, more women than men have stepped away from the workforce after marriage or childbirth, which has influenced confidence at times. That said, the narrative is clearly shifting. A new generation of women is building not out of necessity but from deep ambition to create and scale meaningful businesses. As more founders demonstrate consistency, resilience, and strong outcomes, participation and funding momentum are improving steadily. Our generation is actively challenging these long-held assumptions. The CEO’s chair doesn’t check gender—the job simply needs to be done.

How can established women founders/investors support and empower aspiring women founders? 

Established women founders and investors can make the biggest difference by being accessible and intentional about support. Early founders don’t just need capital—they need honest guidance, warm introductions, and early believers. I’ve experienced this firsthand through Sairee Chahal, founder of SHEROES, who has consistently created room for me at key events and stages—the way strong senior leaders should for the next line of entrepreneurs. That kind of visible support truly matters. Active mentorship, open networks, and women backing women will steadily make the founder journey less lonely and far more scalable.