Startup ecosystem mourns loss of life of entrepreneur Pankhuri Shrivastava

Serial entrepreneur Pankhuri Shrivastava, who founded gals-focused social group system Pankhuri, handed away on Friday. Buyers and other folks close to her mourned the untimely demise of the entrepreneur on social media, contacting it a huge reduction to India’s startup ecosystem. 

A laptop or computer science engineering graduate from Rajiv Gandhi Technological University, Pankhuri took her entrepreneurial plunge by founding brokerage-free of charge household rental startup Grabhouse in 2012, elevated cash from Sequoia Funds, Kalaari Cash, and India Quotient just before making a productive exit from Quikr in 2016.

In 2019, she kickstarted the ‘Pankhuri’ journey of producing a system that enables Indian girls to community, learn, and shop as a result of live streaming, chat, and cohort-dependent classes, therefore enabling them to be lively participants in magnificence and way of life discussions alternatively of staying passive individuals.

In mid-July this yr, when the platform had 250,000 gals, Pankhuri raised $3.2 million from Sequoia Capital India’s Surge programme, together with India Quotient and Taurus Ventures. As a lady entrepreneur, Pankhuri wished to empower women of all ages with electronic literacy and support them regain the proper to expression through the system.

Many members of the startup ecosystem recalled their stories with her mirrored the entrepreneur’s zeal in direction of setting up the startup to give chances and a system to females. 

“Hailing from Jhansi, she felt that the spirit of Jhansi Ki Rani was in her blood. She was incredibly contented that she opened an workplace in Jhansi and gave alternatives to girls to work in jobs that gave them a potent identity. She was proud of these women and how significantly they could do if only provided an prospect. I observed in Pankhuri a younger girl who continued to encourage and give back generously,” Kalaari Capital’s Vaani Kola wrote. 

Rajan Anandan, Running Director at Sequoia India, expressed, “Deeply saddened and shocked by this unexpected loss. Pankhuri was so whole of daily life, ideas and passion and experienced a missionary zeal. We loved owning Pankhuri in our Surge household and will overlook you so dearly. Our ideas and prayers are with her family members…