This interview originally appeared in the DealStreetAsia DATA VANTAGE report Female Founders in India 2024.
“Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the way women in leadership positions are perceived, particularly in male-dominated industries. As someone who has spent much of my career working in such environments, I’ve witnessed this transformation firsthand. While challenges still exist, the narrative has shifted from questioning whether women can lead to celebrating the impact they are making,” says Manisha Raisinghani founder of the Indian SaaS startup SiftHub.
“Today, when I look back at moments like a middle-aged man hesitating to shake my hand at an event, I just laugh because it’s a reflection of the past, not the present. During that time, I just spoke business and showed them that I excel in my subject and the awkwardness goes away,” Raisinghani said in an interview for DealStreetAsia’s recent report titled Female Founders in India 2024.
SiftHub, an artificial intelligence-enabled platform for enterprise sales teams, raised $5.5 million in its seed round of funding in April last year led by Matrix Partners India and Blume Ventures with participation from Neon Fund.
Asked about her fundraising experience, Raisinghani said, “Fundraising always has its challenges. The biggest one is cutting through the noise— especially in a market where investors see hundreds of pitches. I focused on showing a clear market need, and a team that could execute. Ultimately, I see fundraising as a byproduct of building something valuable. The real work is in execution, and that’s where my focus has always been.”
Edited excerpts:
What inspired you to start your own business, and how did you identify the gap in the market?
I’ve always been drawn to solving complex problems with technology, especially where inefficiencies can make or break things. Before starting SiftHub, I noticed a recurring challenge: Account Executives (AEs) and Sales Engineers (SEs) were constantly struggling to find the right information—whether it was past deal history, competitive intelligence, or product documentation—at the exact moment they needed it.
Sales teams waste countless hours searching through scattered tools like CRM, Drive, Slack, Confluence, and email threads instead of focusing on closing deals. Despite the rise of AI-driven sales tools, there was no true enterprise search solution built specifically for GTM teams.
“Our mission is simple: reduce friction in sales workflows so teams can sell more, faster.”
That’s when the idea for SiftHub was born. We saw an opportunity to create a fast, intelligent search layer that integrates with existing sales tech stacks and instantly surfaces relevant information in real time. Our mission is simple: reduce friction in sales workflows so teams can sell more, faster. Since launching, the response has been incredible, proving that this was a major pain point in the industry. Now, we’re focused on scaling SiftHub to help more teams eliminate inefficiencies and make sales processes seamless.
How did you go about securing funds ? What were the major challenges in raising capital?
For me, the bigger challenge wasn’t raising funds—it was deciding which problem I wanted to dedicate at least the next decade of my life to solving. Starting a business is a long-term commitment, and I wanted to be absolutely sure that SiftHub was the problem I was most passionate about solving.
“Fundraising always has its challenges. The biggest one is cutting through the noise.”
Once I had that clarity, securing funding became a matter of aligning with the right investors who shared my vision. I was fortunate to have early believers in Z47 and Blume, who understood the problem I wanted to tackle and believed in me. That said, fundraising always has its challenges. The biggest one is cutting through the noise— especially in a market where investors see hundreds of pitches. I focused on showing a clear market need, and a team that could execute. Ultimately, I see fundraising as a byproduct of building something valuable. The real work is in execution, and that’s where my focus has always been.
Do you think having male co-founders could have made a difference in your fundraising journey?
I don’t think having male co-founders would have made a difference—in fact, I see it as a good thing that I’ve built and raised for SiftHub on my own terms. The ability to own the vision, drive execution, and build conviction without needing external validation has been empowering. Fundraising is always about the strength of the idea, the market opportunity, and the ability to execute and I was fortunate that my investors backed me based on that.
“I don’t think having male co-founders would have made a difference.”
If anything, going through this journey solo has reinforced that what truly matters is building something valuable and surrounding yourself with the right people, regardless of gender.
In the current environment, when funding is more difficult to secure for most startups, will female founders find it tougher to raise capital?
The current funding environment is challenging for most startups, regardless of the founder’s gender. Some female founders might feel it’s even tougher, and that’s why it’s important for us to support each other and create networks where we can share insights, open doors, and lift each other up.
“I believe the key to navigating fundraising successfully is having the right people around you.”
That said, I believe the key to navigating fundraising successfully is having the right people and advisors around you —people who give you sound advice, not based on gender, but based on your specific constraints and challenges. The best thing any founder can do, especially in a tough market, is to stay focused on building real value, executing well, and surrounding yourself with believers who see your vision and back it. The external environment will always change, but strong fundamentals will always win.
Do you think investors tend to have different expectations or standards for female founders versus male founders? Can you share any specific questions that are typically asked offemale founders?
Some investors might have different expectations for female founders, but in my experience, I’ve never had investors like that in either of my startups. That said, sometimes the bias is not external but internal—we assume investors expect different things from female founders. But instead of over analysing that, we need to focus on breaking the glass ceiling by building great companies and proving that execution speaks louder than perception.
“Sometimes the bias is not external but internal—we assume investors expect different things from female founders.”
Have things become any easier for women founders today than say five years back?
Yes, things have positively changed for women founders compared to 5 years ago. As we see more and more success stories of women entrepreneurs, it’s inspiring not just for aspiring founders but also for families—encouraging them to support their daughters, wives, and sisters in excelling professionally. The ecosystem has evolved, with investors, industry leaders, and peers becoming more inclusive and supportive.
What were some key mistakes or learning moments you encountered in the initial years?
Looking back, two key learning moments stand out for me. First, not hiring leaders early enough. In the early years, founders try to do everything on their own, but I realised that one strong VP can change a lot in a company—whether in GTM, product, or operations. Second, not being as self-confident as I should have been. As a founder, you’re constantly making decisions with limited data, and early on, I sometimes second-guessed myself more than necessary. Over time, I’ve learned that conviction and clarity matter as much as execution—if you believe in your vision, others will too. Every mistake has been a learning opportunity, and these experiences have shaped how I build and lead today.
“If you believe in your vision, others will too.”
How do you manage the balance between your personal life and the demands of being a founder? How important is it to have a support system (family, mentors, peers, etc)?
You can’t do it alone—even Batman needs Alfred. Being a founder is intense, and balancing personal life with the demands of building a company is only possible when you have a strong support system. For me, that support comes from family, mentors, peers, and my team. My family has always been my biggest pillar, and now my husband plays a huge role in helping me navigate this journey. On the professional side, having a group of mentors and advisors who don’t judge you makes a big difference. I’ve also learned that balance doesn’t mean splitting time equally—it means knowing when to prioritise what matters most.
How do you envision your company evolving over the next 5-10 years?
With the way AI is evolving, predicting what the world will look like in five or 10 years is nearly impossible. The pace of innovation is faster than ever, and sales technology is undergoing a massive shift. However, what I do know is that in the next couple of years, my goal is clear: Sellers should be spending 100% of their time actually selling. Right now, they waste countless hours on creating collateral, researching deals, updating CRMs, and drafting emails —things that AI and automation should handle seamlessly.
“SiftHub will evolve into a super intelligent, AI-driven sales assistant.”
SiftHub will evolve into a super intelligent, AI-driven sales assistant that eliminates this friction—bringing the right insights, content, and automation directly into their workflow. Instead of jumping between multiple tools, sales teams will have everything they need in real-time, so they can focus on closing more deals, faster, with less effort.
What would be your key piece of advice for women who want to start their own businesses in India today?
Be confident, take help, and remember that we’re all in this together. Entrepreneurship can feel like a lonely journey, but you don’t have to do it alone. Seek out mentors, peers, and a strong support system—never underestimate the role of good mentors who can guide you, open doors, and help you navigate challenges.
“The ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in India is growing stronger every day.”
Most importantly, believe in yourself, confidence is what keeps you going. The ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in India is growing stronger every day, and the more we support each other, the easier the journey becomes.
