Tech-Powered Dreams: Unveiling Women’s Aspirations in Technology Entrepreneurship in India

The contemporary landscape of technology and entrepreneurship necessitates a comprehensive understanding of women’s career aspirations to foster inclusive economic growth and innovation-driven development. This study investigates the technology-related entrepreneurial aspirations of young Indians (N = 3,500; aged 18–30 years) using primary survey data collected across 20 Indian cities in 2019, segmented by gender and city type (metropolitan vs. non-metropolitan). A descriptive-analytical research design was employed, integrating Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) with comparative statistical analysis to examine gender-based and geography-based variations in career preferences across two technology domains: Information Technology (IT) roles and technology entrepreneurship. The findings reveal statistically significant gender disparities, with male respondents exhibiting higher interest in IT careers such as app development and system analysis (M = 34%, F = 20%), while female respondents demonstrated proportionally stronger inclination towards technology entrepreneurship in non-metropolitan settings (Non-Metro: 13%, Metro: 5%). Additionally, geographical location was found to moderate aspirational patterns, with metropolitan respondents showing greater orientation towards specialised IT roles and non-metropolitan respondents displaying broader entrepreneurial interest. These results are situated within a conceptual framework linking gender socialisation theory, digital divide literature and entrepreneurial ecosystem research. The study contributes to the discourse on gender equity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) entrepreneurship and offers implications for policymakers, educators and industry stakeholders seeking to cultivate inclusive technology ecosystems.

Women Entrepreneurship; Technology Career Aspirations

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