- India
- Jan 17
10 years of Startup India
• National Startup Day is observed on January 16.
• Startup India, launched on January 16, 2016, is a flagship initiative of the government of India under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• Over the past decade, the initiative has introduced key programmes and policy measures to support entrepreneurs, encourage innovation, and enable startups to grow and scale.
Vital pillar of economic transformation
• Startups have emerged as a vital pillar of India’s economic transformation, driving innovation, job creation, and inclusive development.
• Over the past decade, India has rapidly evolved into one of the world’s largest startup ecosystems.
• The DPIIT has recognised more than 2 lakh startups in India as of December 2025.
• These startups, over a decade, collectively generated over 2.19 lakh jobs.
• The number of unicorn startups is over 120.
Bridging India’s rural-urban divide
• Major hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR have been at the forefront of this transformation.
• Smaller cities are also steadily contributing to the momentum with around 50% of the startups emerging from tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
• Startups are increasingly bridging India’s rural-urban divide.
• They deploy solutions across agri-tech, telemedicine, microfinance, tourism, and ed-tech, directly addressing developmental gaps and supporting rural livelihoods.
Schemes to boost startup ecosystem:
1) Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS): The Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) is a flagship initiative of the DPIIT under the Startup India Action Plan and is managed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). With a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore, the scheme supports SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which in turn invest in startups, with the objective of expanding access to domestic risk capital and strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The corpus of Rs 10,000 crore has been committed to over 140 AIFs, which have collectively invested over Rs 25,500 crore in more than 1,370 startups.
2) Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups: The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups is implemented for enabling collateral free loans to startups through eligible financial institutions. CGSS is operationalized by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) Limited. Under CGSS, more than 330 loans worth over Rs 800 crore have been guaranteed for startup borrowers.
3) Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS): With a corpus of Rs 945 crore, the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) provides financial assistance to startups for activities such as proof of concept, prototyping, product trials, market entry, and commercialisation. The scheme is overseen by an Expert Advisory Committee (EAC), which is responsible for its implementation, execution, and monitoring. The corpus of Rs 945 crore has been approved to more than 215 incubators to support early-stage startups under the scheme.
4) Startup India Hub: The Startup India Online Hub is a one-of-a-kind digital platform for all stakeholders of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India to discover, connect and engage with each other. The Startup Hub operationalises this by connecting investors, mentors, and incubators with India’s aspiring entrepreneurs. It brings together funds, academic institutions, corporates, and government bodies.
5) States’ Startup Ranking Framework (SRF): The States’ Startup Ranking Framework (SRF) assesses states and Union Territories based on their startup-friendly policies and implementation, fostering competitive federalism to strengthen India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Under the framework, states and UTs are classified into categories such as Best Performers, Top Performers, Leaders, Aspiring Leaders, and Emerging Startup Ecosystems, encouraging healthy competition and continuous improvement in startup governance.
6) National Mentorship Portal (MAARG): The Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth (MAARG) program has been developed to provide startups across the country with easy access to mentorship. By connecting entrepreneurs with experienced mentors, the portal aims to support startup growth, offer strategic guidance, and strengthen the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem nationwide.
7) Startup India Investor Connect Portal: Developed in collaboration with SIDBI, the Startup India Investor Connect Portal is a digital platform that connects startups with venture capital funds and investors, with a particular focus on early-stage ventures. The platform enables entrepreneurs to reach multiple investors through a single application and pitch their ideas efficiently.