Ragini Das has achieved a significant milestone in her career by being appointed as the Head of Google for Startups in India. This marks a full-circle moment for Das, as she is now joining the same tech giant that had previously rejected her application 12 years ago.
In a social media post, Das, the founder of Leap.club, a professional networking community exclusively for women, reflected on how the setback from Google in 2013 proved to be a valuable detour. This rejection led her to join Zomato, where she spent six formative years, describing the experience as transformative. During her tenure, she rose through the ranks and was a key part of the global growth team for Zomato Gold before departing in 2019.
Das credits Zomato for helping her identify her core strengths, building lasting friendships, and fostering the resilience needed to later co-found Leap.club. She views her time there as instrumental in shaping her entrepreneurial path.
Founding Leap.club
Leaving Zomato in 2019, Das embarked on her entrepreneurial journey by founding Leap.club, an initiative she considers her most defining chapter. She believes Leap.club has not only provided her with purpose and identity but has also positively impacted the lives of thousands of women. It was through this venture that she had the opportunity to connect with numerous founders addressing critical challenges across India.
A Resilient Comeback
When Leap.club temporarily paused its operations in June due to financial hurdles, Das took a personal sabbatical. It was during this period of reflection that she encountered an opening at Google that perfectly matched her career aspirations and journey. The role, situated at the intersection of early-stage ventures, founders, and her accumulated experience, felt serendipitous.
Das expressed her excitement about bringing Google for Startups’ global impact to the Indian ecosystem, looking forward to contributing to the growth and innovation within the country’s burgeoning startup landscape.