Anu Acharya

Indian tech entrepreneur who catalyzed India's startup ecosystem through YourStory and initiatives promoting women in tech

Anu Acharya is a pioneering Indian technologist and entrepreneur whose work has profoundly shaped India's innovation landscape. Born in 1970, she began her career in Silicon Valley before returning to India in 2000 with a vision to create platforms that would empower Indian entrepreneurs. In 2010, she launched YourStory, a media platform that became the go-to resource for startup news and networking in India.

Acharya's most impactful contribution came through her advocacy for women in technology. She founded Women Who Code India, an initiative that trained over 10,000 women in coding and leadership skills by 2022. Her 'Inclusive Innovation' programs have supported startups addressing issues like rural healthcare and education, demonstrating how technology can drive social change.

Her work with the Indian government's Digital India initiative helped establish frameworks for scaling tech ventures. By 2023, her efforts had contributed to India's position as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 800 unicorns. Acharya's TED Talk 'Why India Needs More Female Founders' (2018) remains a landmark in global discussions about gender equity in tech.

Beyond entrepreneurship, she developed the 'Innovation Quotient' framework used by Fortune 500 companies to measure organizational creativity. Her book The Innovation Quotient (2021) has become required reading for global business leaders seeking to foster innovation cultures.