Ajaita Shah

Ajaita Shah is an award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem enabler with over 20 years of experience in the Global South, particularly South Asia. She is renowned for driving gender inclusion and impact investing, working with social enterprises and investors to promote ESG goals and unlock market opportunities for the next 2 billion people.

Specializing in microfinance, supply chains, tech for impact, climate change, and gender lens investing, Ajaita is committed to empowering rural women through innovative business models, financial inclusion, and technology. She founded Frontier Markets, a platform that connects 35,000 women entrepreneurs and 3 million rural women customers in India, providing services in telecom, agriculture, clean energy, healthcare, and more.

As a recognized leader, Ajaita has received numerous accolades, including Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Forbes 30 Under 30, and CNBC’s Women Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a Women’s Changemaker Fellow and has spoken at prestigious forums such as COP 23 and the UN SDG Summit. Additionally, Ajaita founded Frontier Innovations Foundation, home to the She-Leads Impact Fund, the first blended capital facility in the Global South, which maximizes financial and social impact for entrepreneurs. A General Partner in two impact funds, she also advocates for digital trade and inclusion as the South Asia Advocate for the UNCTAD e4trade initiative.

As a General Partner in two impact funds, Ajaita has deep expertise in managing and scaling investments in emerging markets. With a commitment to generating 5X capital and 100X impact through blended finance, she also leads the She-Leads Impact Fund, aimed at unlocking catalytic capital for women-led enterprises in the Global South. Recognized globally for her work, Ajaita’s leadership and innovative approach offer investors an opportunity to participate in a high-growth, high-impact enterprise poised for scale.