Women in Business Hail Maharashtra’s Manufacturing Ecosystem at News18 SheShakti
Women in business hailed Maharashtra as having an easily accessible ecosystem for manufacturing. They, however, noted that infrastructure and real estate costs were two significant challenges in the state capital, Mumbai, which is the economic hub of India.
Edition founder and CEO Naiyya Saggi, The Sleep Company co-founder Priyanka Salot, and Inflexor Ventures partner Harsha Mundhada spoke during a panel discussion on ‘Innovation to Impact’ at the first-ever Mumbai edition of ‘News18 SheShakti 2025’ on July 31.
“Maharashtra is very manufacturing friendly. Real estate is easily available, along with manpower and logistics – the whole ecosystem is easily available in Mumbai and surrounding areas,” said entrepreneur Priyanka Salot while discussing opportunities for setting up a business in the state. She added, “Today, the scenario has changed and you get talent across the ecosystem – be it Navi Mumbai or Thane. There were no opportunities before, but now there are. So, there’s no fight for talent.”
Venture capitalist Harsha Mundhada, however, pointed out that small businesses find it difficult during the initial stages. But this smoothens out once the company takes off. “Smaller companies do find it difficult here. But what they don’t realize is that there’s a lot of other operational support; yes, it’s a manufacturing hub and we also have pure software talent now. But the biggest challenge comes when the business is at a nascent stage,” Mundhada said.
Entrepreneur Naiyya Saggi highlighted another significant advantage Mumbai has: safety for working women. “It’s so safe. You can catch a taxi or a bus anytime of the night. It’s so safe for women to work out of Mumbai, coupled with the loyalty and efficiency of the workforce,” Saggi said.
However, all three women agreed that Mumbai’s infrastructure needs improvement. Saggi noted that while better infrastructure was coming up, real estate costs need to come down, especially for mid-management people. Mundhada added that Maharashtra needs to look beyond Mumbai and Pune if it wants to build world-class brands. “Maharashtra needs to look beyond Mumbai and Pune – there are a lot of pockets like Aurangabad, Nagpur, and Solapur, which need to be developed,” she said.
The Mumbai edition of SheShakti sets the stage for the grand national celebration in Delhi on August 21. The theme for this year, ‘From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat’, captures the journey of Indian women. The event features a diverse line-up of trailblazers, including diplomats, policymakers, business leaders, sportspersons, artists, and media voices. Key dignitaries include Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Ashwini Bhide, principal secretary to the CM and MD, Mumbai Metro Corporation, from the government; foreign dignitaries like H.E. Ambassador Chavanart Thangsumphant, Thailand Ambassador to India; celebrities like actors Nimrat Kaur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Renuka Shahane; sportspersons like Olympian Anjali Bhagwat among others.
News18 SheShakti 2025 celebrates the women who are building India’s future, not just by breaking barriers, but by building the Bharat of tomorrow. The theme of this year, “From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat,” spotlights women making real change on the ground—creating jobs, driving innovation, transforming communities, and making systems more inclusive. From rural change-makers to tech trailblazers, the initiative brings to life how women are not just disrupting the status quo but building the very framework of a stronger, self-reliant Bharat.
