Google startup programme in India gets new head, Ragini Das

Google has appointed Ragini Das as head of Google for Startups, India, the company confirmed.

Das announced the appointment on LinkedIn, calling it a “full-circle” moment in her career. “Life has come full circle, and I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Google as Head of Google for Startups – India,” she wrote.

Das began her career in 2013. She interviewed with both Google and Zomato that year. While she did not progress past Google’s final round, she joined Zomato, where she spent six years in roles covering sales, growth and international expansion. She was part of the team that built Zomato Gold globally before leaving the company in 2019.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Das also worked with Trident Group India and interned with Standard Chartered Bank and Aludecor early in her career.

In 2020, she co-founded Leap.club, a professional network designed to connect and support women leaders. Das said the venture gave her purpose and identity and “changed lives for thousands of women.” Leap.club paused operations earlier in 2025.

Das said she applied for the Google for Startups position in August 2025. She noted the role “sat at the intersection of 0–10, founders and everything I’ve built over the years.”

Role at Google

In her new role, Das will oversee Google’s startup-focused initiatives in India. The programme connects early-stage founders with resources, networks, mentors and products to help them build and scale businesses.

Google for Startups operates accelerators and programmes worldwide. The company has said its mission is to “support thriving startups around the world by connecting them to the right people, products and best practices to help them grow.”

Education and affiliations

Das holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with First Class Honours from Lancaster University. She completed her schooling at Chettinad Vidyashram in Chennai, where she served as cultural secretary.

She also chairs the Women in Startups Committee at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), advocating for visibility and funding access for women-led ventures.

Das described her career as shaped by her early years at Zomato. “Zomato helped me identify my career moat, gave me lifelong friends, an incredibly steep learning curve and the resilience to eventually co-found Leap.club,” she said in a social media post.

She added that her journey from being rejected at Google in 2013 to leading its startup programme in India in 2025 marked a professional milestone.

As head of Google for Startups India, Das will be responsible for strengthening Google’s ties with early-stage companies and founders. The company said her appointment aligns with its global strategy to support entrepreneurial ecosystems in high-growth markets.