The Women in India’s Startup Ecosystem Report (WISER) underscores a significant gender divide between startups and NSE-listed corporations across various organizational levels.
Startups demonstrate a remarkable lead in gender inclusivity compared to NSE-listed firms, as revealed by the Women in India’s Startup Ecosystem Report (WISER). In the capacity of Founder/CEO, startups exhibit a noteworthy 18% female representation, in stark contrast to the mere 5% found in NSE-listed companies, as reported. This trend persists as we descend the corporate hierarchy, with 21% of Director/VP positions occupied by women in startups, compared to 15% in NSE-listed corporations. Furthermore, in managerial roles, startups once again take the lead at 32%, while NSE-listed companies lag at 21%. Although women’s presence in entry-level roles at startups marginally surpasses that in larger corporations (by a mere 1%), it is worth noting that both men and women initially commence their careers with nearly equal representation in entry-level and managerial positions. Interestingly, women with five years of experience tend to be preferred over men with over five years of experience in managerial roles.
However, this pattern diverges when examining senior-level positions like CXO/SVP and Director/VP roles. With increasing experience and tenure, a significant disparity emerges, favoring men in securing more substantial footholds in these senior roles.
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For example, with over a decade of experience, 40% of men attain CXO/SVP positions, whereas only 24% of women reach the same level. Likewise, in Director/VP roles, the gap persists, with 43% of men compared to 34% of women occupying these positions after more than a decade of experience.
