How Women Entrepreneurs in India Are Driving Sustainable Change
This International Women's Day, we're featuring three women entrepreneurs in India who are advocating for themselves and creating pathways for others in their communities.
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women” — Maya Angelou
Women play a pivotal role in shaping their communities and economies, demonstrating ingenuity and resilience in the face of challenges. Often, this starts with identifying a need and finding a creative solution—whether it’s maximizing resources, building a business, or improving agricultural practices. This inherent drive to create and contribute has deep roots.
Traditionally, women were at the forefront of managing resources, finding innovative ways to make the most of what was available. This spirit of resourcefulness continues to define women today, driving them to create opportunities and build a better future. TechnoServe collaborates with many resourceful women, supporting them in developing sustainable farming practices, scaling green enterprises, and spearheading change.
Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs in India
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the work of women entrepreneurs from the Greenr Sustainability Accelerator Program, supported by the IKEA Foundation and Visa Foundation. These women entrepreneurs in India are not only advocating for themselves but also creating pathways for others.
Sumeet Kaur, Founder, Spudnik Farms
Sumeet Kaur, founder of Spudnik Farms, traded her corporate career as a tax consultant advocate for a life in agriculture, driven by a passion for gardening and a desire for a more equitable food system.
Her first experience with farming was in 2012, when she quit her job and started a kitchen garden. It soon evolved into a one-acre farm on a plot of land lent by a friend’s father near Hoskote in the Indian state of Karnataka.
“The motivation stemmed from witnessing the exploitative food ecosystem and its disproportionate impact on farmers while I was farming myself,” Sumeet shared. “I realized how skewed the ecosystem is against farmers. And it hits you harder when you’re at the receiving end of it. Food is a basic necessity, so there should be a more sustainable ecosystem. There is always a parallel between the climate crisis and poverty, right? It’s a vicious cycle.”
The superior quality of her produce led to the informal start of Spudnik Farms. From 2014 to 2017, she honed her skills, managing all aspects of the business, until she realized the need for a more sustainable model.
Sumeet joined a women’s entrepreneurship program in 2018, which assisted her in formally launching the business with its current subscription-based model a year later. However, it encountered a roadblock: COVID-19.
“I remember my birthday on March 24 coincided with the lockdown announcement,” she recalled. “We were supposed to start deliveries that day, but our trucks were blocked. I started receiving panicked calls from our team. I went to the commissioner’s office and spent my birthday in line to secure written permission for essential deliveries. Once we began delivering, we quickly established a reliable system, which built trust among our customers and a high retention rate today.”
Sumeet’s dedication ensured uninterrupted deliveries, increasing subscriptions from 20 to 150. Currently, the business serves 300 subscribers in the state capital of Bengaluru (1,200 monthly orders) and is expanding into B2B.
Inspired by her farming experiences, she focused on fair prices, safe produce, and sustainable agriculture. She connected with the Kunbi community in Joida, impressed by their root and tuber crop biodiversity. After building trust with the farmers over three years, Spudnik Farms began incorporating their produce in their subscriptions. They partnered with ICAR-CTCRI to develop new products and helped farmers move up the value chain.
Over the last five years, Spudnik Farms has trained 500+ farmers through various drip irrigation, marketing, and processing workshops. Their work has increased the income of 100+ farmers from $57 to $287 per month, which she now wants to double soon.
Each year, the company organizes “Rooting for Tubers,” a unique event focused on indigenous crops. The humble tuber has been integral to various Indian communities for centuries, and the festival connects various indigenous communities cultivating these crops.
Ask her what her next goal is, and she said, “I aim to increase farmer incomes to $575 per acre per month and empower them to plan for the future.”
Monika Shukla – Co-founder & CEO, Humble Bee
Monika Shukla, a silver medalist in instrumentation engineering from IIT Kharagpur, is the co-founder and CEO of Humble Bee. The startup is focused on transforming beekeeping into a scalable, nature-based solution for sustainable agriculture, rural empowerment, and climate resilience.
Monika began her career at Goldman Sachs, but her work in environmental initiatives and a master’s in liberal arts and leadership from Ashoka University motivated her to create impact through social enterprises. Her first startup, LetsEndorse, connected social innovators with grassroots organizations, empowering over 6,200 women, youth, and reverse migrants across India during the COVID-19 pandemic to launch small businesses and unlock $6 million in credit.
This experience strengthened her belief in market-driven, sustainable solutions to address socio-economic and environmental challenges. In 2023, she founded Humble Bee after learning about the experiences of 500 small-scale beekeepers across 14 states. “Beekeeping plays a crucial role in building a sustainable and resilient food system that produces fewer emissions,” Monika shared.
Humble Bee uses IoT and AI to improve beekeeping practices and productivity. Their app, Beekind, provides real-time insights into hive conditions, nectar flow, and pest threats, helping beekeepers optimize honey production and bee health.
Currently operating in five states, it also focuses on inclusive economic growth, particularly for women farmers. The organization trains women in scientific beekeeping, access to high-quality hives, and connections to premium markets.
“Women often excel as beekeepers, leading to improved crop yields, enhanced biodiversity, and a stronger commitment to environmental protection,” Monika explained. “By empowering women through beekeeping, we cultivate resilience, promote sustainable development, and inspire future generations. Not only do they gain scientific knowledge but also build their leadership potential in climate action.”
Humble Bee works in deep evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, tiger reserves, and natural farming clusters, collaborating with over 1,000 landless and small-landholding farmers and forest dwellers. It also partners with agribusinesses, government bodies, and conservation organizations to promote sustainable farming. The organization combats pollinator decline, mitigates climate change impacts, and supports regenerative agriculture through policy advocacy, research, and grassroots training programs.
Think tank NITI Aayog and the United Nations have recognized Monika as one of the top 15 women entrepreneurs transforming India. She advocates for and collaborates with policymakers and industry leaders to shape India’s beekeeping ecosystem, ensuring fair pricing, traceable honey production, and robust biodiversity conservation efforts.
Nivedita Rai – Co-founder & CEO, Karghewale
A social entrepreneur, Nivedita Rai is dedicated to transforming the handloom sector by empowering wage worker artisans. Many are trapped in a system that gives them low pay of just $60-80 per month and no creative agency. Her work is transforming these skilled artisans into successful creative entrepreneurs in their own right, capable of earning almost six times more.
Recognizing the systemic barriers artisans face, Nivedita, alongside co-founder Sourodip Ghosh, pioneered Karghewale’s innovative incubator model. The program offers comprehensive support, enabling artisans to become independent designer-entrepreneurs. The impact is profound: by enabling creative agency and financial independence, Karghewale is directly contributing to poverty alleviation through sustainable livelihoods. Since 2020, Karghewale has incubated over 31 entrepreneurs and trained 118 artisans in Design-Based Market Alignment (DBMA), generating an estimated $21,000 in additional monthly income across the value chain. The incubator model is designed not only for individual success; it’s about systemic change.
Karghewale is creating a ripple effect, paving a path for others to adopt similar models. By increasing the proportion of creative entrepreneurs from 2% to 20% among incubated artisans, Karghewale aims to inspire the widespread adoption of this model, creating a broader ecosystem of opportunity. This approach directly translates to job creation and improved livelihoods, as artisans become employers themselves, expanding the sector’s reach.
Karghewale’s full-stack sourcing solution for bespoke handwoven textiles, supported by design training, market linkages, and business support, has expanded across the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Gujarat. This geographical expansion means more artisans are gaining access to dignified employment and increased income, extending the benefits to a wider demographic. With a monthly revenue run rate of $8,943 and active collaborations with over 40 B2B partners, Karghewale is reshaping the handloom industry by bridging the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary market demands.
Recognized as one of the 60 ‘SDG Entrepreneurs of India’ by NITI Aayog and AIM in 2024, Nivedita has received the Junoon Awards from Goonj. Karghewale’s impact-driven approach has earned a place in the 2023 Dignified Jobs Accelerator Program conducted by Upaya and Yunus Social Business, further cementing its role as a catalyst for dignified livelihoods in the artisan sector.
By empowering artisans to become creators and entrepreneurs, Nivedita is transforming the handloom landscape and generating jobs for countless individuals and communities. Karghewale’s goal to incubate 200 artisan designers in the coming years underscores her commitment to long-term, systemic change.
Learn more about TechnoServe’s work with women entrepreneurs in India.
