Anisha Singh: A Force for Women in Entrepreneurship
Anisha is the founder of She Capital, an early stage diversity fund that invests actively in consumer led businesses. She is the founder and former CEO of Mydala, a local services marketing platform across 100+ cities in India and UAE. Prior to Mydala, Anisha founded and ran a digital technology content company called Kinis Software Solutions. Anisha started her career working with the Clinton Administration on an initiative called Springboard which helped women entrepreneurs raise funds.
She is the President of the jury of the Cartier Women Initiative Awards for the Asia-Oceania region. Anisha was recognized as one of The Top 100 Global Diversity Leaders in 2020. Anisha was ranked amongst the Top 10 women CEOs located outside the US by Crunchbase in 2018. Anisha has an MA and MBA from American University in Washington DC.
Anisha has been recognized as one of The Top 100 Global Diversity Leaders in 2020 and under the Business category in Women in Asia – 50 Most Influential 2018. She is the President of the jury of the Cartier Women Initiative Awards for the South Asia-Oceania region. She was also a judge on a startup reality show on MTV, similar to Shark Tank, called Dropout Pvt. Ltd. Anisha has an MA and MBA from American University in Washington DC.
Early Life and Education
Anisha was born in Delhi. Her father is an ex-force member and runs a business in real estate sector, while her mother is a dentist. Anisha did her MA in Public Communications and MBA in Management of Information System from American University, USA.
Building a Business Empire
Singh's entrepreneurial journey began in 2009 with the launch of Mydala, India's largest local services marketing platform. Mydala connects businesses with potential customers, offering them a cost-effective way to reach new audiences. Under Singh's leadership, Mydala grew to become a major player in the Indian digital landscape. Anisha's experience encompasses founding and growing Mydala, a local services marketing platform, and selling her digital content company, Kinis, to Obeo, a US marketing firm. She was also among the first female startup founders in India. Anisha's career started when she worked for the Clinton administration on the Springboard program, which assisted female entrepreneurs in obtaining capital.
Recognizing the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, Singh established She Capital in 2016. She Capital is a venture capital fund dedicated to investing in women-led or women-centric businesses with high growth potential. This initiative seeks to bridge the funding gap for female founders and empower them to scale their ventures. The founder and main force behind She Capital, the top diversity fund in India that makes investments in fast-growing companies run by or with the involvement of women, is Anisha. She Capital is having a major impact on the startup ecosystem with a number of noteworthy investments, including the exit of Clovia to Reliance in one of the largest all-cash deals in the Indian fashion industry.
Anisha is well-known for her contributions to inclusion and diversity in the business sector as President of the Asia-Oceana Cartier Women Initiative Awards jury. Anisha was recently named by Business World and VC World as one of the "Most Influential Women in Investor's Community 2023." In addition, she received recognition as the 2018 Zee TV DNA Digital Entrepreneur of the Year, Yourstory's She Sparks Investor of the Year, India SME's Emerging Investor of the Year, and Inc 42's Top 30 Torchbearers of Women in Investing. She was listed as one of The Top 100 Global Diversity Leaders in 2020. Crunchbase placed her among the Top 10 female CEOs outside of the United States in 2018. Anisha graduated from American University in Washington, DC, with an MBA and an MA degree.
Singh's influence extends beyond the realm of business. She is a renowned speaker and advocate for diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She has graced the stages of prestigious events like the World Economic Forum and TEDx, sharing her insights and experiences to inspire and empower others. Additionally, Singh has served as a mentor for the Indian government's Startup India program and a judge on various entrepreneurial reality shows. Speaking at major international conferences like the World Economic Forum Davos, The Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Founders Forum London, London Tech Week, Super Return Hong Kong, Unlimited India Sweden, Wired London, TEDx, The Boao Forum China, SeedStars Summit Thailand, Start-up India, Indian Global Forum, and many more.
Notable Speeches
Anisha is a noted expert and widely noted speaker on entrepreneurship, diversity and the start up ecosystem globally, having spoken at marquee international conferences like:
● World Economic Forum, Davos
● The Mobile World Congress, Shanghai
● Slush, Helsinki
● Founders Forum, London
● London Tech Week
● Super Return, HongKong
● Super Return, Dubai
● Unlimited India (Sweden)
● Wired, London
● TEDx
● The Boao Forum, China,
● SeedStars Summit, Thailand
● Start-up India
● Champions of Change
● 10,000 Women in Tech conference
● Indian Global Forum
● Vibrant Gujarat Startup Conclave
Book Mentions
Three books have featured Anisha's career: "Super Women, Inspiring Stories of 20 Women Entrepreneurs" by Prachi Garg, "Female Innovators at Work: Women on Top of Tech" by Danielle Newnham, and "Dare to Be: 14 Fearless Women Who Gave Wings to Their Dreams" by Rinku Paul.
Anisha recently appeared on the Amazon Prime series Mission Start Ab, where she serves as one of the three primary judges.
She also hosts "Together," one of the nation's most sought-after events for female founders. which is a networking event for elite investors and founders that is by invitation only.
In Popular Culture
Anisha is the President of the jury of the Cartier Women Initiative Awards for the South Asia-Oceania region. She was also a judge on a MTV startup reality show, like Shark Tank, called Dropout Pvt. Ltd.
Personal Life
She married her best friend Arjun Basu. Later on, the couple together founded Mydala, India's one of the largest online and mobile discount coupon provider. The couple has two daughters.
Awards and Recognitions
Anisha was ranked amongst the Top 10 women CEOs located outside the US by Crunchbase in 2018. She has also been recognized as one of The Top 100 Global Diversity Leaders in 2020 and under the Business category in Women in Asia – 50 Most Influential 2018. Additionally, she is a noted expert on entrepreneurship, diversity and the start-up ecosystem in India, having spoken at noted conferences like:
● World Economic Forum, Davos 2019
● The Mobile World Congress, Shanghai 2017
● Slush, Helsinki 2018
● Founders Forum, London 2019
● London Tech Week 2021 (another link London Tech Week 2021)
● Super Return, HongKong 2020
● India Unlimited, Sweden 2016
● Wired Retail, London 2015
● TEDx IIMIndore 2015
● The Boao Forum, China 2017
● Seedstars Summit, Thailand 2017
● Start-up India
● Champions of Change 2017
● 10,000 Women in Tech Conference 2017
Anisha Singh's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and a commitment to making a difference. She serves as a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly women, demonstrating that success is achievable with dedication and the right support system. Through her ventures and advocacy efforts, Singh continues to pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial landscape.
