Ankita Vashistha is a trailblazing venture capital investor, entrepreneur, and champion of women’s empowerment with over 16 years of experience transforming the landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation. As Founder and Managing Partner of Arise Ventures, she leads a global venture capital fund investing in bold early-stage founders across Enterprise, Healthcare, and Consumer sectors. Her vision extends beyond capital—through StrongHer by Arise Ventures, she has built the first and leading global platform dedicated to women entrepreneurs and leaders.

Ankita’s pioneering journey in gender-lens investing began with Saha Fund in 2015, recognized as the first global venture capital fund to invest in women entrepreneurship and technology. Her investment portfolio spans market-leading startups including Uniphore, Licious, Fitternity, and LoveLocal, demonstrating her keen eye for innovation across fintech, future of work, health, and consumer sectors.

As Chief Dreamer of MyStepUp Entrepreneurship and Innovation Foundation, Ankita advances women’s engagement, empowerment, and entrepreneurship by equipping them with critical “hot-skills” in innovation-at-scale, digital fluency, intrapreneurship, and tech immersion. Her work addresses systemic challenges including the wage-wealth gap, leadership representation, and women’s power and influence across industries.

With an engineering background from Ramaiah Institute of Technology and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, complemented by executive education in Venture Capital from Stanford University, Ankita combines technical expertise with business acumen. She serves on multiple boards including TiE Bangalore, Tholons, and several innovative companies, while also acting as Senior Advisor at Tholons Inc., guiding companies in globalization strategy across India, Philippines, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

A thought leader and author, Ankita co-wrote “Innovation at Scale,” exploring how digital transformation is reshaping industries and creating opportunities for women. She is a Charter Member of TiE Bangalore, a NASSCOM Product Council Member, and serves as Innovation Advisor to multiple organizations championing diversity and social good. Her early career included roles at Aureos Capital in London and as Founding Partner at Wavemaker Labs in Singapore.

A passionate mentor and advocate, Ankita is on a mission to get more women into entrepreneurship, venture capital, boards, and leadership positions—building not just successful companies, but a more equitable and innovative future for all.