2026 Women’s Leadership in STEM Entrepreneurship Cohort

Driving STEM, Innovation, and Health Impact in India through Women’s Leadership
BIRAC 2026 Partner Logos

Women Leadership in STEM

Women Leadership in STEM

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), an enterprise under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, Grand Challenges India, and WomenLift Health have selected 20 mid- to senior-career women entrepreneurs and innovators in STEM and public health to participate in Women’s Leadership in STEM Entrepreneurship (WLSE), a part-time leadership development programme to strengthen decision making for sustained STEM, innovation, and health systems impact in India.

Anu Sharma Bandamaravuri, Founder Director of a R &D oriented pre -revneue startup, GREENPAVAK BIOTECH PVT LTD

Anu Sharma Bandamaravuri

Founder Director of a R &D oriented pre -revneue startup, GREENPAVAK BIOTECH PVT LTD

Anusha Aditya, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Exonics Biopharmaceuticals Private Limited

Anusha Aditya

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Exonics Biopharmaceuticals Private Limited

Arpana Parihar, Senior Scientist and Consultant, A Fourth Dimension Group

Arpana Parihar

Senior Scientist and Consultant, A Fourth Dimension Group

Arpitha Anantharaju, Additional professor, JIPMER

Arpitha Anantharaju

Additional professor, JIPMER

Atom-Annupama-Devi-Founder-Chankorb-Private-Limited-Chankorb-Private-Limited

Atom Annupama Devi

Founder Chankorb Private Limited, Chankorb Private Limited

Debarati Chakraborty CEO, Founder, ASDC Naturophilia Agrotech Pvt. Ltd

Debarati Chakraborty

CEO, Founder, ASDC Naturophilia Agrotech Pvt. Ltd

Kalaiarasi Sivaji, CEO & Founder, Thremear private limited

Kalaiarasi Sivaji

CEO & Founder, Thremear private limited

Kanagam N CEO, Phycosol Ecotech Pvt Ltd

Kanagam N

CEO, Phycosol Ecotech Pvt Ltd

Kirthanashri S.V Associate Professor & In charge Head - Department of Biotherapeutics Research | Founder - Nextgen Inks Pvt Ltd, Manipl" Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal

Kirthanashri S.V

Associate Professor & In charge Head - Department of Biotherapeutics Research | Founder - Nextgen Inks Pvt Ltd, Manipl" Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal

MADHULEKHA GOGOI, DST WISE PDF, CSIR NEIST, Jorhat 785006, Assam, India

Madhulekha Gogoi

DST WISE PDF, CSIR NEIST, Jorhat 785006, Assam, India

Mamta Jaiswal, Co-founder and Director, Proteinno MAB Tech Private Limited

Mamta Jaiswal

Co-founder and Director, Proteinno MAB Tech Private Limited

Nitu Pandit, Founder, Gram Roots Collective Foundation

Nitu Pandit

Founder, Gram Roots Collective Foundation

Priyanka Parhi, Co-founder, Bihangam India LLP

Priyanka Parhi

Co-founder, Bihangam India LLP

Ranu Nayak, Professor at Amity University and CEO of Usesorb Nano Solutions

Ranu Nayak

Professor at Amity University and CEO of Usesorb Nano Solutions

Renuka Renuka, Co-founder & Director, HapiHygi Innovations Private Limited

Renuka Renuka

Co-founder & Director, HapiHygi Innovations Private Limited

Saakshi Dhanekar, Associate Professor and Co-founder, Director, IIT Jodhpur and Sensekriti Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd

Saakshi Dhanekar

Associate Professor and Co-founder, Director, IIT Jodhpur and Sensekriti Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd

SUPRIYA KHEUR, Professor and In charge, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology & Oral Microbiology, Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Dr. D.Y.Patil Dental College & Hospital, Pimpri, Pune

Supriya Kheur

Professor and In charge, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology & Oral Microbiology, Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Dr. D.Y.Patil Dental College & Hospital, Pimpri, Pune

Swapna Dasoju, Co-Founder, Aventiq Innovations Pvt Ltd

Swapna Dasoju

Co-Founder, Aventiq Innovations Pvt Ltd

Vandana Pradhan, Scientist E (Deputy Director), ICMR NIIH

Vandana Pradhan

Scientist E (Deputy Director), ICMR NIIH

Vibha Bora, Professor and Incharge-BETiC GHRCE,Nagpur, G H Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur

Vibha Bora

Professor and Incharge-BETiC GHRCE,Nagpur, G H Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur