National, March 11th 2025 – DeepTech is at the forefront of innovation, driving advancements in AI, 5G, biotechnology, and beyond. Despite being a traditionally male-dominated sector, several remarkable women have broken barriers and are leading groundbreaking advancements.
1. Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues – Pioneering Innovation in Biotech
Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues, Founder & CEO of Zumutor. She is a biotechnology leader with over two decades of experience in immuno-oncology and biologics. As the Founder & CEO of Zumutor Biologics, she has led the company in developing cutting-edge antibody-based immunotherapies, pushing the frontiers of cancer treatment. Under her leadership, Zumutor has made significant breakthroughs in harnessing the immune system for more effective cancer therapies. Her entrepreneurial journey includes founding Inbiopro Solutions, which was later acquired by Strides Arcolab. With a MS from Manipal and an MBA from IIMB, she combines deep scientific expertise with business acumen, making her a key figure in DeepTech biotech. Her ability to drive innovation while scaling biotech ventures globally has positioned her as a leader in the field, ensuring life-saving therapies reach those in need.
2. Kaitki Agarwal – Revolutionizing Telecom with Open RAN and 5G
Kaitki Agarwal is the Co-founder and President of A5G Networks, where she is driving next-generation advancements in 5G and autonomous mobile networks. A serial entrepreneur, Kaitki previously co-founded Parallel Wireless in 2012, leading the disruption of the traditional RAN market with the Open RAN movement. Under her leadership, Parallel Wireless expanded globally, growing to a team of over 500. With more than 50 patents to her name, she has been instrumental in developing next-gen telecom technologies. An IIT Roorkee alumna with an MBA from Babson College, Kaitki’s contributions continue to shape the future of wireless communication and mobile networks worldwide.
3. Priyanka Aash – Driving Technological Disruption
Priyanka Aash is the Co-Founder of Firecompass. Priyanka is at the forefront of AI-powered cybersecurity, leading the development of automated red teaming and attack surface management technologies at FireCompass. With a mission to make organizations cyber-resilient, she has been instrumental in building solutions that proactively identify security vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. Under her leadership, FireCompass has emerged as a pioneer in Continuous Automated Red Teaming (CART), a game-changer for cybersecurity strategy. A Computer Science graduate from Visvesvaraya Technological University, she blends technical expertise with strategic vision to transform how enterprises approach cybersecurity. By shifting security from reactive defense to proactive attack simulation, she is reshaping the future of AI-driven cyber defense and making organizations more resilient against evolving threats.
While these women are at the forefront, there are many more unsung heroes in DeepTech making significant contributions. As we celebrate Women’s Day 2025, let’s continue to recognize and support the growing number of women in science, technology, and entrepreneurship who are shaping a better future for all.
DeepTech is evolving, and these women are ensuring that innovation knows no gender. Their achievements pave the way for future generations, inspiring more women to step into the world of transformative technology.