India’s female labor force participation rate is among the poorest in the world – 19% as against the global average of 49%. While multiple initiatives are trying to tackle this at a systemic level, there has been limited focus on enabling employers as a lever for change.

As an Indian startup founder, you are uniquely placed to lead the transformation of the landscape by disrupting the status quo from within.

You’re a driving force for employment & a role model for workplace diversity

You’re young, dynamic & understand that change is necessary for your business evolution

You’re looking for unique, resourceful solutions that can truly have a far-reaching impact

ACT is on a mission to support Indian startups in leading the way on increasing women’s workforce participation in India!

We’re partnering with India’s startup ecosystem to address demand side barriers by taking a deeper look at women’s representation within our own industry – seeking to learn from each other on how we can make our workplaces more reflective of our customers, our families and society, i.e. gender-equal.

About the Pact For Gender Parity

The Pact For Gender Parity is a collaborative effort to bring a meaningful shift within India’s startup ecosystem.

Our Vision

Accelerating India’s progress towards gender equality through innovation and collective action

Our Mission

Significantly increasing women’s representation in Indian startups across levels

We aim to significantly move the needle on gender diversity by enabling our member organizations to:

Set gender diversity goals and monitor key metrics towards achieving these goals

Contribute to a body of knowledge for the ecosystem through participation in annual sector reports and sharing best practices

Participate in pilot programs and implement proven models to scale successful interventions

Women in India’s Startup Ecosystem Report (WISER) 2023

WISER is a first, and largest, of its kind research study that focuses exclusively on Indian startups and aims to help them advance gender diversity and inclusivity at the workplace.
It seeks to apply a gendered lens on the startup economy, drawing valuable insights on demand side enablers and barriers for greater participation of women across levels of employment.

If you’ve signed the Pact For Gender Parity, we’ll reach out to you for your participation soon!

If you’re an Indian startup founder or CHRO who’d like to participate in WISER directly, please fill up this form and we’ll get in touch.

Our Partners:

What do startup founders gain?

As ACT, our role is to ensure that your intention translates into actionable next steps through customized support that enables your organization to address the issue in a sustainable way.

As a Pact For Gender Parity member, you’ll be able to: