Why 8 in 10 LPs Still Don’t Back Women—And What Ankita’s Doing About It

Venture capital is changing—and so is India. In this episode, we dive deep with Ankita Vashistha, the trailblazing investor behind Saha Fund and Arise Ventures. From building Singapore’s first government-backed fund to leading a ₹500 Crore gender-lens powerhouse, Ankita’s story is one of grit, foresight, and redefining alpha. With 5 unicorns, 50+ investments, and a global accelerator reaching 5,000+ founders a year—this is more than investing. It’s revolution. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:50 - #1 From Copycat to Category Creator – The Rise of India as a Global Builder 08:32 - #2 Gender Lens ≠ Charity. It’s Alpha. 17:53 - #3 The Venture Capital Playbook Needs a Reboot—For India 19:42 - #4 From Capital Allocator to Company Builder 21:47 - #5 Be Loud. Be Clear. Be Your Own Champion. 22:47 - Closing Remark:Legacy in Motion ABOUT ANKITA With over 16 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, innovation, diversity and impact investing, Ankita is a passionate and visionary venture capital investor and entrepreneur.  Ankita founded and led two pioneering funds, StrongHer Ventures and Saha Fund, that invest in and promote women engagement, empowerment and entrepreneurship through digital technology and now leading her third fund - Arise Ventures.  Ankita also co-authored of the book "Innovation at Scale", which covers how digital is transforming industries and creating opportunities for women.  FOLLOW ANKITA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavashistha/ https://www.instagram.com/ankitasvashistha/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

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Lead, build, and invest better. Join us as we hit the streets globally to uncover billion dollar ventures of unicorn founders & funders. In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. Billion Dollar Moves is proud to be part of the Hubspot Podcast Network with 10 million downloads a month as a group.