SHEROES & Mahila Money: The Platforms Helping Women Earn.

Sairee Chahal

SHEROES and Mahila Money are two platforms that have slowly but strongly carved their space in the Indian startup world by focusing on one area that often gets overlooked, women’s economic empowerment. At a time when India is aiming for growth across sectors, these platforms are proving that social impact and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand. Both are building opportunities for women to earn, learn, and grow their financial independence while also creating communities that foster leadership and confidence.

SHEROES started as a digital community for women to connect, share experiences, and find resources. What began as a network is today a hub where women across small towns and big cities come together for work opportunities, counseling, upskilling, and peer support. The idea was simple, to give women a safe space online where their ambitions are taken seriously. Over time, this evolved into a business model that connects brands with women consumers and workers. The platform has helped countless women find flexible work, which is crucial in a country where many still juggle family duties with career aspirations.

Mahila Money is the next step in this movement. Built on the belief that financial independence is the backbone of entrepreneurship, the platform provides micro loans and credit support for women-led businesses. Many women entrepreneurs in India face challenges in accessing formal credit from banks. Mahila Money is addressing this gap by not only providing access to loans but also financial literacy tools, so women understand how to grow their money and manage their ventures. It has built a trusted name among self-employed women, especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, where opportunities can be limited but ambition is limitless.

What makes both SHEROES and Mahila Money stand out in the startup ecosystem is their focus on inclusivity. Instead of building for a small urban audience, they are scaling across geographies, reaching women who may not have been seen as “market ready” by traditional businesses. This is a different kind of entrepreneurship, one that pushes growth at the grassroots and builds leadership from the ground up. For India, where the participation of women in the workforce has historically been lower compared to global levels, platforms like these are rewriting the narrative.

The Indian business world is often spoken about in terms of unicorns and billion-dollar valuations. But stories like SHEROES and Mahila Money remind us that entrepreneurship can also be about long-term impact, social growth, and inclusive leadership. They may not always grab the headlines like big startups do, but the ripples they create are shaping the future of how women see themselves in business. As more women step forward with confidence, supported by such ecosystems, India’s growth story becomes stronger and far more balanced.