As startups chase their next milestones, it takes not only a team effort but also astute leadership to make key decisions and lead the pack. Women have entered this arena and are making a significant mark in the HR field, especially by combining technology with soft skills.
The Power of the Right Team
The Power of the Right Team
Entrepreneurs are on a constant hunt for the ‘right team and people,’ which many believe to be the most important asset to any startup. Between 2012 and 2016, it is estimated that over Rs 1,000 crore was invested in HR startups by venture capitalists, according to Trackn. This surge in investment signals rapid growth in the HR sector. Here, we highlight some women who have made significant contributions to this field.
Women Pioneers in HR Tech
Women Pioneers in HR Tech
While giants like LinkedIn and Oracle play major roles in the hiring game, startups are stepping up to solve niche problems. We spotlight four women entrepreneurs who are addressing various challenges in hiring for both companies and job seekers across the country:
Ridhima Gauba – Interview Air
Ridhima Gauba, COO and Director at HR tech startup Interview Air, lived in London for several years, where she observed the difficulties faced by job seekers in India. She noted that employees often do not get reimbursed for travel costs and have to manage their stay as well. Co-founding Interview Air with her husband Rohit Taneja, she developed a cloud-based interviewing platform. Interview Air eliminates travel hassles and costs, connecting talents from Tier II, III, and IV cities with top companies. After companies register and shortlist candidates, video interviews are conducted on the platform, streamlining the hiring process.
Deepika Anu – nTalents
Founded in 2015, Mumbai-based startup nTalents has connected more than 25,000 job seekers with over 400 brands. Deepika Anu, along with co-founders Mayank Sharma and Varun Narula, started this venture to help companies hire candidates based on their soft skills. The platform conducts behavioral assessments by analyzing candidates’ facial expressions, words used, tone and inflexion of voice, micro-gestures, and digital behavior. nTalents offers various assessments, including the Comprehensive Behavioral, Psychometric, and Cognitive (BPC) Profiler. Initially funded by seed grants from Goldman Sachs and IIT Delhi, nTalents has also received support from the Eklavya Foundation and NITI Aayog through IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL.
Vanishri Deshpande – Spottabl
With experience in leadership recruitment since 2004 and a stint at Flipkart’s talent acquisition team, Vanishri Deshpande launched Spottabl (formerly ConnectEcho) in August 2017. Co-founded with Satheesh KV, Spottabl began by serving venture capital firms and assisting in hiring senior leaders for their portfolio companies. Today, it acts as a strategic consultant in HR functions and talent acquisition, leveraging Vanishri’s extensive industry experience.
Sofia Chand – UpYourGame
Sofia Chand co-founded UpYourGame in January 2018 with Kishore Chand, Amogh Kamath, and Tejas Kamath, all seasoned HR professionals. Sofia and Tejas are the faces of the company, leading investor pitches. They identified that a lack of data often led to unresolved issues between employees and managers, causing attrition. UpYourGame addresses this by monitoring real-time employee performance, analyzing feedback and sentiments, predicting behavior patterns, and generating actionable data. The platform includes a library of 2,300 goals and key performance indicators, providing insights and transparency for both managers and team members.
Our Views
Our Views
The fusion of HR and technology is a potent mix where women are playing pivotal roles. The innovative solutions developed by these women entrepreneurs demonstrate their ability to think outside the box and create comprehensive solutions for their clients. Their success stories serve as inspiration, illustrating that nothing is impossible.
Organizations can learn from these examples that women have a crucial role to play in the modern, technical, digital age. Embracing this can lead to a win-win situation for all, paving the way for more inclusive and innovative business environments in India’s burgeoning startup ecosystem.
