What does it take to disrupt venture capital?
For Nikita Thakrar, it meant opening doors that had been closed for decades.
Nikita, Founder and CEO of Included VC, is the winner of the 2025 Novi Awards Disruptor/Innovator of the Year— recognised for transforming how people access the world of venture capital.
For years, venture capital has relied heavily on networks and introductions. Talent alone was rarely enough to break in.
Nikita decided to change that.
She created Included VC, the world’s first fully funded global venture capital institute, offering a free multi-month Fellowship designed to help people from underrepresented backgrounds enter the venture capital industry.
And the impact has been extraordinary:
- Applications from 150+ nationalities
- Fellows from 600+ cities worldwide
- Nearly 7,000 applications in the most recent cohort
- 150+ Fellows placed into paid venture capital roles
- Alumni founders who have raised $100+ million
Included VC is now supported by some of the world’s leading venture capital firms including Notion, Creandum, Seedcamp, M12 (Microsoft’s venture fund), HSBC Ventures and the European Investment Fund.
But what makes Nikita’s story truly extraordinary isn’t the numbers.
Fifteen months after launching Included VC, she faced health challenges. Despite this, her leadership enabled the programmes to still grow.
Today Included VC is often described as the “Hogwarts of venture capital”, a global community where fellows return as mentors, investors and founders — reshaping the venture ecosystem from within.
This is why Nikita Thakrar was recognised as the 2025 Novi Awards Disruptor/Innovator of the Year.
Because real disruption is not just about bold ideas.
It’s about impact.
At Novi, we celebrate leaders who are not only successful, but who are actively reshaping industries and creating opportunity for others.
✨ Know a woman who is changing the game in her field?
Nominations for the upcoming Novi Awards are now open.
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