Anisha Singh is celebrated for co-founding Mydala, an innovative e-commerce platform, in 2009 with the assistance of Arjun Basu and Ashish Bhatnagar. Mydala serves as a merchant marketing platform, enabling businesses to attract users with minimal upfront costs.

Early Life and Education

Anisha was born into a joint family in Delhi. Her father, a former armed forces member, runs a business, while her mother is a dentist. Anisha attended a boarding school and later graduated with an MBA from American University.

In recent years, Anisha founded She Capital, an early-stage fund aimed at investing in women-led or women-centric ventures with high growth potential.

Personal Details

• Name: Anisha Singh
• Birthplace: Delhi
• Nationality: Indian
• Organizations Founded: Mydala, She Capital
• Education: American University
• Net Worth: ~$150 Million
• Husband: Arjun Basu

Professional Life

Anisha’s career path was not clear-cut from the beginning. She had no specific childhood dream, and it was a professor who recognized her potential and encouraged her to pursue an MBA. This led to an internship at a company in Washington, D.C., run by Julie Holdren, whose leadership inspired Anisha deeply.

Anisha’s professional journey began as a Strategic Alliance Manager for a prominent software company in the United States. In 2004, she launched a company providing digital content marketing solutions for the real estate and e-learning industries. Later, she moved back to India and founded Mydala.

She also worked for the Clinton Administration, helping women entrepreneurs secure funding for innovative, women-led businesses. Anisha spent nearly 12 years on the East Coast of the United States, primarily in Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York.

Mydala

Anisha has a knack for unique names, as seen with her first venture, Kinis. Mydala, derived from the Sanskrit word “dala” meaning group, was conceived to offer group deals to customers. Anisha founded and currently serves as the CEO of Mydala. Inspired by group discount trends in China and the United States, she introduced this concept to the Indian market, which had untapped potential.

Anisha envisions Mydala as the go-to platform for coupons and loyalty programs in India. Her goal is to expand Mydala into a comprehensive platform where Indians can find deals for anything, whether it’s food, shopping, or other services. Today, Mydala operates in 196 cities, collaborates with over 165,000 merchants, and boasts more than 38 million registered users.

Mydala has recently diversified into product listings, covering categories like food, personal care, and household items. Anisha believes the online coupon and discount marketing industry holds vast potential for innovation.

She Capital

Anisha founded She Capital to support and scale female-led businesses. Despite evidence that women-led startups generate higher revenue per dollar invested, venture capital for these ventures remains limited. She Capital aims to bridge this gap by investing in exceptional entrepreneurs building successful businesses.

She Capital offers:

• Mentorship for venture growth
• Financial support for expansion
• Strong networking opportunities
• Contributions to India’s economic growth
• A brighter future for female entrepreneurs

Women Empowerment

Anisha is a fervent advocate for women entrepreneurs in India. She stresses the need for substantial action beyond panel discussions and public speaking to make a real difference. Highlighting a 170-year gender gap in various sectors, Anisha is committed to supporting women entrepreneurs through She Capital, which invests in startups founded or co-founded by women.

A Harvard Business Review report cited by Boston Consultancy Group revealed that equal participation of men and women could boost global GDP by 6%. The report also noted that women-led startups receive half the average investment of those led by men.

Views on Entrepreneurship

Anisha believes that speaking sensibly earns respect and that entrepreneurship offers vast opportunities. She asserts that being a woman entrepreneur is not inherently difficult and encourages women to support and uplift one another.

Motivation and Recognition

Anisha draws motivation from her two daughters and her supportive family. She credits her success to the backing of her parents and in-laws.

Anisha has been featured in several books, including:

• Super Women, Inspiring Stories of 20 Women Entrepreneurs by Prachi Garg
• Dare to Be: 14 Fearless Women Who Gave Wings to Their Dreams by Rinku Paul

Speaking Engagements

Anisha is known for her candidness and advocacy for women’s rights. She has delivered talks on entrepreneurship, women leadership, and the startup ecosystem in India at various national and global events, including:

• Founders Forum (London, June 2016)
• India Unlimited Conference (Sweden, May 2016)
• MIT India Conference (USA, April 2016)

Anisha Singh continues to inspire and support women entrepreneurs, advocating for constant improvement and innovation in business.