Indian entrepreneur Ragini Das, best known as the co-founder of the women-focused professional network leap.club, has been appointed Head of Startups at Google India. This appointment has struck as a journey of persistence and success, as it comes a decade after Das was rejected by the tech giant in the final round of interviews.
Describing the appointment as a “full circle” moment, Das shared the news on social media, revealing that she did not make it past Google’s interview process back in 2013. “Life really does come full circle,” she wrote on X.
Speaking about her new role, Das said, “We’re on a mission to support thriving startups around the world by connecting them to the right people, products, and best practices to help them grow.”
Das’ career in the startup ecosystem began in 2013, when she applied for roles at both Google and Zomato. She joined Zomato as a Sales and Marketing Manager, embarking on a six-year stint with the company.
During her time there, she worked across multiple verticals including sales, growth, and international expansion. By 2017, she was part of the founding team for Zomato Gold, where she helped drive user growth, engagement, and retention. Das was instrumental in launching Zomato Gold in 10 international markets, including Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Qatar, and Lebanon.
In 2020, Das co-founded leap.club, an online and offline network designed to help women professionals connect, collaborate, and advance their careers. The platform quickly gained traction, creating opportunities for thousands of women through curated events, interest-based communities, and professional networks.
However, after five years of operations, leap.club announced a pause in June 2025, and her return to Google came just months later. With her appointment, Das is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing Google’s startup initiatives in India, one of the fastest-growing tech ecosystems in the world. Her focus will include building strong networks for founders, facilitating access to capital, and ensuring early-stage companies are equipped with the tools they need to scale globally.
