The digital economy has transformed the environment in which entrepreneurs operate and introduced unprecedented possibilities to be innovative, scale, and enter international markets. Being one of the most rapidly evolving eco-systems nowadays, women entrepreneurs are becoming a significant force, employing technology to plan and expand the businesses in fields such as e-commerce, fintech, health tech, and digital services. Despite the growing representation, Women entrepreneurs in the digital world continue to face unique obstacles, including the inability to access venture capital, gender discrimination in technology-dependent industries, and social norms, which influence career choices.

The integration of digital tools and platforms has provided women in business with the method to overcome the traditional boundaries and be creative, to identify new contacts on the global scale and to acquire market intuition in an efficient way. Their involvement is not only changing the business practices but also contributing to the social and economic development via inclusive growth and community empowerment. However, the research on women-led online startups remains a fragmented one, with most of it examining gender concerns or gender-based technology adoption without the presence of the other.

The purpose of this paper is to study the experience and strategies and resilience of women entrepreneurs in the digital startup ecosystem. The information provided in this study will be useful in informing policy, mentorship initiatives, and ecosystem-building projects that will benefit women-led innovation in the digital age by demonstrating the intersection of gender, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Background of the study

Over the past years, the startup ecosystem throughout the world has undergone an impressive development and change. The new opportunities in entrepreneurship have been brought about by the development of digital technologies, reduction of barriers to entry, and an increase in internet penetration. Nevertheless, regardless of these structural shifts and what might seem as democratization of opportunity, there is still a loud disparity of gender in technology-driven startups. A 2023 survey of 5,469 founders in tech startups (across 67 global ecosystems) found that 15% of all who are founders of startups are women, although out of 31% of startups at least one woman co-founder exists. Equally, Women representation in deep tech and tech leadership positions is still very low in the world.

On the same note, women entrepreneurs, particularly in emerging economies, are increasingly contributing to the total SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) sector. In terms of their ownership of SMEs, the number of women as entrepreneurs and their ownership of SMEs is approximated to be 37 and 31 percent respectively according to a report in 2025. However, regardless of this existence, women who head digital or technology startups are exposed to systematic risks: less access to capital, reduced networking, social biases, and technology access barriers. Indicatively, in recent data on India, despite being on the list of more than 7,000 active women-led tech startups, these startups represent about 7.5 percent of all active Indian startups. Just a bit over US 1 billion were raised by women co led tech startups in 2024, a 25 percent drop on the same year prior - highlighting relentless funding and structural difficulties.

Women-lead starts are more likely to be resilient, creative, and socially impact oriented - which can make the digital economy more interesting and inclusive business models can be created and underserved markets (e.g., women, rural users, social impact segments) are being served.

It is against this background that there is a strong rationale to explore the ways women maneuver through the digital startup ecosystem: how they use community networks, negotiate social and professional boundaries, and constraints, structural limitations, and how they use digital tools to assemble and scale ventures. The case of women entrepreneurs in the digital startup ecosystem their motivations, challenges, support systems, strategies, and influence can be studied to shed light on the structural gaps and the enabling conditions to have gender-equitable entrepreneurship.

This study will therefore examine Tech Savvy and Tenacious women entrepreneurs: their use of digital startup ecosystem, why they do so, how community and social capital can contribute to their experience, and what obstacles they encounter, as well as how their success can be enhanced by institutional or social support. In this way, the study aims to make its contribution to the improved understanding of gender sensitive entrepreneurship policies and practices in the digital age.

Justification

The position of women in entrepreneurship has experienced an incredible change within the last ten years, especially as the usage of digital technologies has resulted in the reduced barriers to entry traditionally. Although there is an increase in the number of women participating in the startup ecosystem, studies have shown that, there are still certain gender-based obstacles, such as inaccessibility of funds, social networks, and mentorship, as well as, technology-related resources. It is crucial to understand how women maneuver through such issues in the digital sphere to promote an inclusive innovation and a fair economic development.

There are numerous fronts where this paper is defended. First of all, it addresses a blind spot in the range of literature: despite the significant amount of academic research on entrepreneurship and digital startups, a considerable part has been dedicated to the issue of women-led digital ventures, including the strategies, resiliency, and adaptive behaviors that would make them a success. Second, the study has practical implication to policy makers, incubators, investors and industry stake holders that aim at developing program, support mechanisms and funding mechanisms which is unique to women business owners. Third, the data about women in digital startups will aid in entering into a bigger socio-economic debate since it can be used to identify the strength of digital entrepreneurship as a source of empowerment to women, reduction of gender gaps, and economic inclusion.

Finally, the study is both timely and topical due to the accelerated rate of digitalization that the development of technology stimulated, the increased reliance on online business models, and the motivation to increase gender equality in the global business of entrepreneurship. This research will make a tangible contribution to the existing literature by uncovering the strategies and issues of women entrepreneurs in the digital startup and the success behind them that can support the support system, instigate policy changes, and empower the upcoming generations of women-led businesses.

Objectives of the Study 

1. To explore the potential of digital technologies to assist women entrepreneurs to acquire and expand startups in the digital ecosystem.
2. To examine the factors and obstacles that Women entrepreneurs in the digital startup industry encounter, such as funding, gender factors, and network access.
3. To understand the practices and approaches employed by emerging digital startups founded by women to become sustainable and grow further.
4. To determine how policy efforts, incubators, and support systems influence the development of women entrepreneurship in the digital realm.
5. To explore how social, cultural and work networks contribute to entrepreneurial performance among women in tech enabled startups.

The rise of the digital economy has introduced new opportunities and also unique challenges for women entrepreneurs worldwide. In particular, digital technologies — including social media, e‑commerce platforms, digital payment systems, and communication tools — are reshaping how Women-led businesses are created, operated, and scaled.

Digitalization and Women’s Entrepreneurship:

Recently, the number of scholars, who explore the impact of digitalization on Women entrepreneurship, has increased. Digitalization effects on women entrepreneurship and Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review (Seyed‛ Taheri, 2024) is a systematic review which proclaims that women can surmount structural obstacles, which have existed over time, with the help of digital tools. As per the review, the digital platform can expand access to networks, lower operational expenses and enable women to run businesses more flexibly thus enabling entrepreneurship in the context of resource constraints.

Coming to the disorganized sector, the article Digital Inclusion of Women Entrepreneurs in The Unorganized Sector-A Systematic Review (Sowmya and Pai, 2025) emphasizes that the digital inclusion (through mobile banking, e-commerce, and digital payments) is a transformative factor in women-led businesses. The authors demonstrate that digital finance and e commerce can contribute to the sustainability and expanding market, but still some barriers such as digital illiteracy, the absence of infrastructure, and socio cultural barriers exist.

Very specifically, in the particular context of India, the article titled Digital Transformation and Innovation among Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh: A Thematic Content Analysis (Verma, n.d.) offers an eyewitness account of women micro entrepreneurs in rural and semi urban Uttar Pradesh relying on affordable digital tools (e.g., WhatsApp Business, UPI, YouTube) to get around the mobility constraints, lack of market access, and market logistics issues. They have embraced digital tools with great emphasis, reflecting the ability of resource-strapped women entrepreneurs to engage in the digital economy creatively and sustainably.

More generally, edited books like Women Entrepreneurs: Building Sustainable Business Models in Digital Spaces (Singh, Goel, Kaur & Floris, 2024) contain case studies and common experience demonstrating how digital spaces (social media, online marketplaces, digital marketing, etc.) offer women entrepreneurs opportunities to develop sustainable scalable businesses with fewer entry barriers than their traditional brick-and-mortar models.

Lastly, Enhancing women entrepreneurship through resource orchestration and digital technologies (2025) suggests that in future studies, digital penetration, especially following the disruption by COVID 19 pandemic, presents a strategic avenue through which women entrepreneurs in developing economies can access resources, organise digital tools, and bypass structural barriers, such as the lack of mobility or social restrictions.

All of these works lead to one conclusion: digitalization is increasing the possibilities of women entrepreneurship, reducing the barriers in this field, making work more flexible, opening up networks, and making it possible to enter a wider market. Nonetheless, availability of digital infrastructure, digital literacy and enabling environments are key success factors.

Gender, Innovation, and Structural Barriers:

Although there is the potential of digitalization, the process does not completely eradicate structural barriers. The larger body of literature regarding Women entrepreneurship in digital forms indicates that women still tend to experience various barriers, including the lack of access to capital, gender-related bias, social norms, and lack of support. As Women entrepreneurship in the digital era (Ughetto, Rossi, Audretsch & Lehmann, 2020) states, despite the potential of the digital technologies to change the ecosystem of entrepreneurs, the gendered perspective is not a well-researched issue, and the impact of the digital technologies on decreasing the gender gaps is not fully comprehended yet.

On the same note, in the qualitative study of women entrepreneurs working in digital economies, Challenges and Triumphs of Women Entrepreneurs Thriving in the Digital Economy: A Qualitative Study (Shetye & Thaloor, 2025) concludes that although digital technologies facilitate cost-effective marketing, networking, and flexibility, it is observed that women continue to struggle with a lack of funding, expectations, gender discrimination, and the dual burden of putting food on the table.

Studies conducted in the developing-country settings attract attention to more obstacles. As an example, an analysis of ICT use and livelihoods of women microenterprises in Malawi (Malanga and Banda, 2021) has identified that ICTs facilitates the marketing of products among rural Malawian women, access to information, but the challenges of lack of reliable electricity, inability to afford the devices, and ICT illiteracy limit the possibilities of digital entrepreneurship among women in rural Malawi.

Therefore, even though digitalization provides means through which certain inequalities can be alleviated, the structural and social aspect funding access, gender norms, institutional support remains mediating. Access to the digital environment is not enough to achieve success; supporting ecosystems are essential.

Women-Led Innovation and Impact:

In addition to survival or establishment of a business when women are the leaders, it has been proposed that women-led digital businesses are more focused on innovation, social value, and sustainability compared to traditional male-established businesses. According to the research she innovates - Women owner and firm innovation in India (Biswas, 2021) it is more probable that firms owned by Womens in India will be inclined to be involved in innovative activities - both in terms of their inputs and outputs - when they have internal funding and in more secure (lower crime) locations. This indicates that women entrepreneurs can utilize digital startup ecosystems, not only as a source of business expansion, but also in order to innovate and impact the society.

Within the European framework, Women in the sustainability new ventures in the digital era: Out from the shadow of the small country male-dominated startup ecosystem (Vettik Leemet, 2024), women startups are emerging as a trend, with a specific focus on sustainability ventures which can have social or environmental purposes. This indicates that Women entrepreneurs within the digital startup ecosystem often intertwine entrepreneurial goals and a social or sustainability-driven agenda.

These results emphasize the idea that women entrepreneurs within the digital ecosystem tend to introduce a distinctive combination of the orientation towards innovations, social awareness, and the ability to withstand challenges - the qualities that are unlikely to only contribute to a successful business experience but to the inclusive and sustainable growth.

MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY

Research Design:

The research design used in this study is descriptive and exploratory because it aims to analyze the experiences, strategies, and challenges of digital startup ecosystem women entrepreneurs. Mixed-method is used, which involves quantitative and qualitative methods. The descriptive and the exploratory part will record demographic and business trends and the former will give insights into how women-led startups behave in entrepreneurship, technology use, and resilience strategies.

Data Collection Methods:

Primary Data:

• Structured questionnaires were administered to women founders across various digital startups, focusing on entrepreneurial background, technological adoption, funding sources, business growth, and perceived challenges.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected participants to gain deeper insights into decision-making processes, networking strategies, and innovation approaches.

Secondary Data:

• Reports and publications from government agencies, startup incubators, and entrepreneurship development organizations.
• Academic journals, industry reports, and databases related to digital entrepreneurship and women-led ventures.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women entrepreneurs who have founded or co-founded digital startups (IT, e-commerce, digital services, fintech, EdTech, health-tech, etc.) within the last 10 years.
• Startups with a minimum operational period of one year to ensure sufficient business experience.
• Entrepreneurs willing to participate and provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Entrepreneurs managing non-digital or traditional businesses.
• Startups less than one year old, due to limited operational data.
• Participants who decline or are unable to provide informed consent for interviews or surveys.

1. Demographic Profile of Respondents

A total of 120 women entrepreneurs from digital startups across India participated in the survey. Table 1 summarizes their demographic characteristics.

Table 1: Demographic Profile of Respondents (N=120)

Discussion:
The majority of respondents (45.8%) were in the 31–40 age group, reflecting that women tend to enter the digital startup ecosystem after acquiring significant professional experience. Most respondents held postgraduate degrees (58.3%), highlighting the importance of higher education in supporting entrepreneurial ventures in technology-driven domains. IT & Software (41.7%) and E-commerce (29.2%) dominate the ecosystem, aligning with global trends of women leveraging digital platforms for scalable business models.

2. Factors Driving Digital Startup Participation

Respondents rated the importance of key motivators on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Not Important, 5 = Very Important). Table 2 presents the mean scores and standard deviations.

Table 2: Motivational Factors for Women Entrepreneurs (N=120)

Discussion:
Autonomy and independence emerged as the top motivator, consistent with prior research emphasizing women’s desire to create self-directed career paths in entrepreneurial contexts (Brush et al., 2019). Market opportunity ranked second, indicating that women entrepreneurs are strategically targeting gaps in digital services. Access to technology, while important, was slightly lower, suggesting that motivation is more opportunity- and independence-driven than resource-driven.

3. Challenges Faced by Women in Digital Startups

Respondents identified multiple barriers affecting startup growth. Table 3 summarizes the frequency of challenges reported.

Table 3: Major Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs (N=120)

Discussion:
Access to funding remains the most significant barrier (70.8%), corroborating studies showing that women-led digital startups face systemic financial hurdles (Eesley & Wang, 2017). Work-life balance (65%) and gender bias (50%) indicate persistent societal and structural challenges in the tech ecosystem. Mentorship gaps (45.8%) further highlight the need for structured support programs to enhance entrepreneurial resilience.

4. Use of Digital Tools and Platforms

The survey explored adoption of digital tools for business management, marketing, and operations. Table 4 highlights key findings.

Table 4: Digital Tool Adoption Among Women Entrepreneurs (N=120)

Discussion:
Social media marketing tools dominate adoption, confirming that digital-first strategies enable women entrepreneurs to reach broad audiences with limited resources. Cloud-based management platforms are widely used, demonstrating operational digitization. Lower adoption of analytics and CRM tools (41.7%) suggests potential for growth in data-driven decision-making.

Limitations of the study

Despite the fact that this study can be discussed as a significant input to the existing knowledge of the experience and challenges of women entrepreneurs in the digital startup ecosystem, certain limitations must be mentioned. To begin with, the sample has a geographical limitation, as it is concentrated mainly on particular areas of urban centers and does not fully represent women in business in less developed or rural areas with lower levels of digitalization. Secondly, the study depends greatly on self-reported data and this presents the possibility of biasness or exaggeration of accomplishments and problems. Thirdly, the constantly changing character of digital technologies implies that some of the observations can become obsolete quite fast and new trends or platforms might remain underrepresented. Besides this the study also focuses on qualitative narratives which although detailed in nature may not truly reflect larger quantitative patterns within the ecosystem. Lastly, time, resource, and access to some networks constraints confined the in-depth longitudinal analysis scope to limit the study possibility to measure long-term growth patterns and sustainability of women-led digital startups.

Future Scope

There are several research opportunities in the future concerning the study of women entrepreneurs in digital start-up sector. Future research may focus on the potential enduring effects of mentorship between genders, access to venture capital, and networking websites on the sustainability and development of digital startups run by women. The comparative study between various regions and segments of industries would give further details about the socio-cultural, economical as well as technological factors which may make or break an entrepreneur. Furthermore, it is a phenomenon that can be investigated in particular because of the way the new technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, and data analytics, allow women entrepreneurs to be creative and grow their business. Empirical research can be helpful to policymakers and other ecosystem enablers in their approach to creating a specific intervention and identifying the challenges and issues, towards inclusiveness and resilience in the digital entrepreneurial environment.

The transforming paradigm of entrepreneurship in the world is the analysis that is applied to the online entrepreneurial industry of Women entrepreneurs. Women are also taking advantage of technology, the digital arena and emerging patterns of business in such a way that they can be in a place to break the traditional barrier access, capital and visibility. Their penetration into the digital start up industry is not only disrupting centuries long gender norms, but also infusing the startup world with diversity, power and creativity. Women entrepreneurs, as observed in this paper, are genius in regard to adaptability and persistence, and yet, women business people have institutional constraints, which include availability of capital, connections and resources related to the industry in question. The policy intervention programs, mentorship and initiatives in digital literacy will fix these gaps; this will generate empowerment to the ecosystem and turn women-led startups into sustainable to scale. Lastly, it has been agency act and system change as there have been an uproar of Women business people in online ventures. To see and value the potential of women-led innovation, the society can ensure that it can stimulate and enhance their economic growth and social contribution by building inclusive ecosystem and providing them with strategic resources.

1. Appachikumar, A.  K.  (2025).  Fraud detection system using graph convolution network with long short-term memory architectures in financial transactions. International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET), 13(5), 8. www.ijraset.com
2. Appachikumar, A.  K.  (2025).  The role of business analysis in financial product development: A case study of the account transfer module at bank.  International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 15(01), 4. https://journalijsra.com/sites/default/files/fulltext_pdf/IJSRA-2025-0992.pdf
3. Dinesh Gabhane, Krishna Gopal Chaubey, Sruthi S, Divya James, Aarti Sharma.(2025). Green HRM and Sustainable Finance: Aligning HR Practices with ESG Goals. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management. https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i24s.3975
4. Dixit, K., & Manna, R. (2023). Bibliometric analysis of entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. Korea, 16(49).
5. Dr S.Mahalakshmi.(2025). Ethical AI in Business: Balancing Profitability and Responsibility. Scriptora International Journal of Research and Innovation (SIJRI), 1(4), 36-44. Ethical AI in Business: Balancing Profitability and Responsibility | Scriptora International Journal of Research and Innovation (SIJRI)
6. Dr. C. Sahila, Dr. Shwetha K R , Dr. Nitin Balasaheb Salve , Dr. Karishma Agarwal and Sruthi S . "Bridging Social Gaps with Artificial Intelligence: Redefining the Role of Social Entrepreneurship." Advances in Consumer Research 2, no. 5 (2025): 590-599. https://acr-journal.com/article/bridging-social-gaps-with-artificial-intelligence-redefining-the-role-of-social-entrepreneurship-1720/
7. Dr. Gauri Dhingra,Dr. Diksha, & Sruthi S. (2025). Culture As a Campaign: HR-Driven Marketing Strategies In The Digital Age. European Economic Letters (EEL), 15(3), 3869–3880. Retrieved from https://www.eelet.org.uk/index.php/journal/article/view/3889
8. Dr. M. Prakash.(2025). AI-Driven Decision Making: Redefining Corporate Strategy in the Digital Era. Scriptora International Journal of Research and Innovation (SIJRI), 1(4), 26-35.AI-Driven Decision Making: Redefining Corporate Strategy in the Digital Era | Scriptora International Journal of Research and Innovation (SIJRI)
9. E. Muthukumar, H. P. Josyula, S. K. Gatala, M. K. Vandanapu, V. Mistry and N. Singh, "AI-Driven Predictive Analytics for Financial Market Forecasting," 2025 International Conference on Technology Enabled Economic Changes (InTech), Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 2025, pp. 1389-1394, doi: 10.1109/InTech64186.2025.11198418.
10. Irshadullah Asim Mohammed, Prashant Pandey, & Sruthi S. (2025). The Impact Of AI On Strategic Decision Making In Modern Management. European Economic Letters (EEL), 15(3), 3770–3782. Retrieved from https://www.eelet.org.uk/index.php/journal/article/view/3865
11. Kaur, M.; Manna, R. Sale of second-hand goods by consumers: Mediating role of satisfaction between perceived value and behavioural intentions. The International Review of Retail. Distrib. Consum. Res. 2024, 1 22. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09593969.2024.2393095
12. Lahiri G., Nath S. A Study on Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs of Small Businesses in Kolkata // Mizoram University Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences. 2022. Vol. VIII(1).
13. Madhumithaa, N., Mishra, A., Sruthi, S., Sivaperumal, K., & Adhav, S. Implications of Social Media and Socio-Economic Activities on Micro and Small Enterprises in India. International Journal of Professional Business Review: Int. J. Prof. Bus. Rev., 8(4), 5(2023).
14. Manna, R., Singh, A., & Apte, M. (2024). Demystifying metaverse data from user-technology interaction. Applied Marketing Analytics, 9(4), 357-374.
15. Middae, V.L.; Appachikumar, A.K.; Lakhamraju, M.V.; Yerra, S. AI-powered Fraud Detection in Enterprise Logistics and Financial Transactions: A Hybrid ERP-integrated Approach. Comput. Fraud Secur. 2024, 2024, 468–476.l
16. N. K. Bhattacherjee, S. Samanta, B. Roy, S. Mukherjee, G. Lahiri and S. Gupta, "Analytical Review of the Trends of Microfinance Sector in India on Lending Assets," 2023 3rd International Conference on Innovative Sustainable Computational Technologies (CISCT), Dehradun, India, 2023, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/CISCT57197.2023.10351406.
17. Radhakrishnan, G. V., Varalakshmi, R., Kohli, N. K., Jha, S., Sruthi, S., & Singh, S. P. (2025). AI-Driven Predictive Analytics for Enhancing Automotive Safety in Financial Risk Assessments in Cloud Data. In P. Rai, T. Ahmad, & B. Pandey (Eds.), Embracing the Cloud as a Business Essential (pp. 107-124). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-9581-3.ch006
18. Ram Kailash, M., Donga, G., NVL, C. S. K., Fernandez, C. J. & S. Sruthi (2024). Neuromarketing: The science of consumer behavior in digital advertising. Library of Progress-Library Science, Information Technology & Computer, 44(3). Available online: https://research.ebsco.com/c/ydyra3/search/details/lj4q7hx6jr?db=eft
19. S. Sruthi.(2025). AI-Enhanced CRM Tools in Network Marketing: Adoption and Impact. Scriptora International Journal of Research and Innovation (SIJRI),1(4). https://scriptora.org/index.php/files/article/view/37
20. S. Sruthi., M.R. (2025). An Assessment of Network Marketing as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurial Growth in Kerala. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management, 10(26s). DOI: https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i26s.4311
21. Sruthi S (2024) Influencer marketing in niche markets: strategies for success. Lib Pro 44(3):344. https://doi.org/10.48165/bapas.2024.44.2.1
22. Sruthi S, Dr. R. Maheshwari. (2025). An Assessment of Network Marketing as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurial Growth in Kerala. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i26s.4311
23. Varalakshmi, C., Sharma, A., Paul, T. F., Singh, S. & S, S. (2025). HR Analytics and Financial Decision-Making: A Data-Driven Approach to Workforce Management. Journal of Marketing & Social Research, 2(2), 1-12. Doi: https://jmsr-online.com/article/hr-analytics-and-financial-decision-making-a-data-driven-approach-to-workforce-management-45/
24. Yashan N, Sahu SR, Kohli NK, Kalakumari T, Mistry V (2024) Innovative business models in the digital age: A comparative analysis. Cahiers Magellanes-NS, 06(2). https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.2632573 (Available at: http://magellanes.com/)
25. (2023). Fempreneurship through digital platforms. Journal of Global Information Management, 31(8). https://doi.org/10.4018/JGIM.329606
26. Cristina, A., Ramos, S., Feijoo, J., & Arenal, A. (2025). From stand-up to start-up: Exploring entrepreneurship competences and STEM women’s intention. arXiv.
27. Guo, Q., Chen, S., & Zeng, X. (2024). Digital finance, bargaining power and gender wage gap. arXiv.
28. Institutional dimensions in high‑impact Women entrepreneurship. (2025). Review of Managerial Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-025-00892-z
29. Mandal, R. K. (2025). Women‑led startups in emerging economies: Challenges, opportunities, and policy implications for inclusive growth. SAMA Journal of Multidisciplinary Business and Management, 1(1).
30. Mets, T., & Vettik‑Leemet, P. (2024). Women in sustainability new ventures in the digital era: Out from the shadow of male‑dominated startup ecosystem. Green Finance, 6(3), 383–406. https://doi.org/10.3934/GF.2024015
31. Petrescu, M. A., & Suciu, D. M. (2024). Perceptions of entrepreneurship among graduate students: Challenges, opportunities, and cultural biases. arXiv.
32. Rathi, K. L. (2025). Women entrepreneurs in the digital age: Opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Engineering, Education and Technology (ARDIJEET), 13(1).
33. Shetye, S., & Thaloor, S. (2025). Challenges and triumphs of women entrepreneurs thriving in the digital economy: A qualitative study. Journal of Informatics Education and Research, 5(2).
34. Singh, T., Goel, R., Kaur, M., & Floris, M. (Eds.). (2024). Women Entrepreneurs: Building sustainable business models in digital spaces – Case studies & experiences. CRC Press.
35. Sowmya, B., & Pai, R. (2025). Digital inclusion of women entrepreneurs in the unorganized sector: A systematic review. Advances in Consumer Research, 71–85.
36. Trinkenreich, B., Wiese, I., Sarma, A., Gerosa, M., & Steinmacher, I. (2021). Women’s participation in open source software: A survey of the literature. arXiv.
37. Verma, R. (2025). Digital transformation and innovation among women micro‑entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh: A thematic content analysis. Journal of Entrepreneurship Planning, Development and Management.
38. Verma, S., Pandey, D., & Kaur, H. (2024). Role of digital entrepreneurship in social empowerment of women entrepreneurs in India: An empirical study. Journal of Informatics Education and Research, 4(3).
39. Yadav, S. (2024). Success factors and challenges faced by women‑led start-ups in India. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 12(3).