Ladies Who Lead raises $1 Mn led by Nithin Kamath's Rainmatter

Members-only platform Ladies Who Lead (LWL) has raised $1 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Nithin Kamath's investment firm, Rainmatter, along with participation from the Family Office of Jayant Davar.

The funding will enable LWL to expand its ecosystem for women professionals and leaders across multiple sectors, offering them resources and mentorship, the platform said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2021 by Aabha Bakaya and Aditya Ghosh, Ladies Who Lead (LWL) is a members-only platform designed to support and amplify the voices of women in leadership. The platform provides women access to mentorship, exclusive networking, and professional development opportunities through its Titan and LWL Members clubs. It aims to foster an equitable professional ecosystem where women can thrive and drive change.

LWL asserts that it has been actively shaping an inclusive space for women entrepreneurs, professionals, and veterans across industries, creating professional growth opportunities through curated workshops, networking, mentorship programs, upskilling programs, and social events. It addresses key barriers to leadership advancement, such as pay disparity, networking limitations, inaccessibility to mentors, and the need for better work-life balance for women professionals.

According to market research, only 35% of Indian women participate in the workforce, compared to the global average of 50%, and they hold just 18% of senior leadership roles in India.

LWL states that it is currently active in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bangalore, with plans to expand to a wider audience across the country and further diversify its membership. The platform claims to have over 1,200 members spanning more than 50 industries.