Who is Anuradha Acharya?

If you’ve ever wondered who’s behind some of India’s biggest tech moves, Anuradha Acharya is a name you should know. She started her career at Hewlett‑Packard, eventually becoming the first Indian woman to lead HP’s India business. After that, she didn’t stop – she co‑founded Mapmygenome, one of the country’s leading personal genomics companies, and now she’s a sought‑after mentor and investor for startups.

From HP to Biotech

Back in the early 2000s, Anuradha was driving HP’s growth in a market that was still finding its footing with computers and internet. She helped launch HP’s retail stores across India and pushed for a strong channel strategy that made tech more accessible. When she left HP, many thought she’d stay in hardware, but her curiosity led her into biotech. In 2009, she and a few partners set up Mapmygenome with a simple goal: give Indians a way to understand their DNA without paying a fortune.

The company grew fast because it solved a real problem – the lack of affordable genetic testing in India. Today, Mapmygenome offers everything from health risk reports to nutrition advice, and it’s helped millions of people get a clearer picture of their health.

Investor, Mentor, and Speaker

Beyond running a business, Anuradha spends a lot of time on the Indian startup ecosystem. She’s an early‑stage investor in more than 30 companies, ranging from health tech to education platforms. Her advice is practical: focus on solving a problem for a specific group of users, and keep the product simple enough that even a non‑techie can use it.

She’s also a regular speaker at conferences like NASSCOM and TiE, where she talks about leadership, gender diversity, and the future of health tech in India. Audiences love her stories – she often shares anecdotes about negotiating with vendors in the early HP days or the sleepless nights when Mapmygenome was testing its first kits.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, watching her talks can give you a realistic view of the challenges you’ll face and the mindset needed to overcome them.

In short, Anuradha Acharya blends corporate leadership, startup grit, and a passion for making science useful for everyday people. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, a potential mentor, or just a fresh perspective on Indian tech, her journey is worth a closer look.