Mumbai: Aparna Thyagarajan, Chief General Manager at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), spoke about the importance of regulation in supporting women-led innovation in climate and technology sectors at the IVCA Conclave 2026.

She participated in a session titled “Regulation as Market Design: Enabling Women in Climate & Tech”, where experts discussed how policy frameworks, access to capital and institutional support can help build a more inclusive investment ecosystem. The session also featured Shyamala Gopinath, former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India; Nupur Garg, Founder of Winpe; and Sumesh Girhotra from the British High Commission.

The discussion focused on how well-designed regulatory policies can encourage greater participation of women entrepreneurs and investors in emerging sectors such as climate and technology.

“There is an urgent need for disaggregated data on gender diversity. You can’t fund what you can’t see — the numbers need to be put out there, and disclosure is key,” Aparna Thyagarajan said.

She highlighted that better access to capital and supportive policies can create more opportunities for women-led businesses and help accelerate innovation in sectors important for India’s sustainable and technology-driven growth.

Aparna Thyagarajan also pointed out that blended finance structures can be an effective way to raise capital for sustainable enterprises. She explained that government bodies and large multilateral institutions can participate as junior investors, encouraging private investors to follow.

“SEBI has permitted limited tranching, and blended finance models can help mobilise capital for sustainable enterprises where public capital leads and private markets follow,” she added.

The IVCA Conclave, now in its 15th edition, is one of the key forums for India’s alternate capital ecosystem. It brings together policymakers, regulators, investors and industry leaders to discuss the future of private equity, venture capital and other alternative investment segments in India.