India's DeepTech sector, renowned for its cutting-edge innovations and technological advancements, is facing a critical challenge: the underrepresentation of women in key roles. 

A recent report by Pure Storage and Zinnov sheds light on the glaring gender disparity within Global Capability Centres (GCCs) operating in the DeepTech domain, emphasising the urgent need for concerted efforts to address this imbalance.

The report, titled "Towards a Gender Equitable World: Unveiling Diversity in DeepTech," examines the representation of women in GCCs, particularly in the DeepTech sector, and its correlation with top engineering universities in India. 

Analysing data from 42 leading engineering institutions, with a focus on 23 preferred by DeepTech companies, the report uncovers two primary factors contributing to gender disparity: low enrolment of women in STEM courses and high attrition rates at mid to senior levels within the industry.

Key Insights

Several key findings from the report underscore the severity of the gender gap and its implications for the DeepTech sector:

• Workforce Diversity: While GCCs exhibit a commendable 28% representation of women, DeepTech organisations lag behind at 23%. This disparity highlights the unique challenges faced by DeepTech companies in achieving gender parity.
• Enrolment Disparity: The median representation of women graduates from top engineering universities stands at 25%, affecting the influx of female candidates into GCCs, particularly in the DeepTech sector. Despite this gap, women consistently outperform in securing placements compared to the overall average.
• Career Advancement Challenges: Only 6.7% of women hold executive-level positions in GCCs, and a mere 5.1% in DeepTech organisations. Obstacles such as family responsibilities, limited career advancement opportunities, and poor work-life balance contribute to women's attrition at higher career levels.
• Regional Disparities: Bengaluru emerges as a leader in diversity representation among tier-1 cities in India, with 31.4% representation in GCCs and 14% in DeepTech.

Industry Response

Recognising the systemic barriers hindering women's advancement, organisations are implementing strategic initiatives to foster gender diversity and address attrition. These initiatives include targeted leadership development programs, returnship opportunities, pay equity measures, caregiving support, and flexible work arrangements. 

While these efforts are commendable, there is a growing acknowledgment of the need for systemic change to encourage more women to pursue STEM courses and enter the DeepTech workforce.

Ajeya Motaganahalli, VP Engineering & Managing Director, India R&D at Pure Storage, emphasises the need for comprehensive strategies to increase women's enrolment in leading technological institutions and retain them in the workforce. 

Karthik Padmanabhan, Managing Partner at Zinnov, underscores the urgency of interventions to address the talent pipeline issue and create enabling work environments for women to thrive. Initiatives like leadership development programs and returnship opportunities are positive steps, but sustained commitment from the entire ecosystem is essential for meaningful progress.

The gender disparity in India's DeepTech sector is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention and action. By addressing systemic barriers, fostering a supportive work environment, and implementing targeted initiatives, the industry can unlock the full potential of its talent pool and drive innovation and growth. Achieving gender diversity is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for the DeepTech sector to thrive in an increasingly competitive global landscape.