New Delhi: The Centre said India had crossed 2 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups as the Startup India decade concluded, positioning the country among the world’s largest startup ecosystems.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade said the initiative, launched in 2016, had built a full-lifecycle support system covering ideation, funding, mentorship, and scale-up. The government marked the milestone ahead of National Startup Day on January 16, 2026.
Officials said around 50% of recognised startups now originated from Tier-II and Tier-III cities. They said this trend reflected the steady democratisation of entrepreneurship beyond major urban hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR.
The Centre said startups had emerged as a key driver of economic transformation. According to DPIIT, startups boosted innovation, created jobs, improved digital access, and supported inclusive regional development over the past decade.
Startup India decade expands support through schemes and missions
The government said the Startup India initiative had evolved into a multi-dimensional platform supporting founders from early ideas to large-scale operations. It noted that India’s unicorn count had risen from four companies in 2014 to over 120 firms, with a combined valuation exceeding $350 billion.
DPIIT highlighted flagship schemes such as the Fund of Funds for Startups, which committed ₹10,000 crore to over 140 alternative investment funds. It said these funds had invested more than ₹25,500 crore in over 1,370 startups.
The Centre also cited programmes such as the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups, and the Startup India Hub. It said these initiatives improved access to capital, mentorship, and markets, especially for early-stage ventures.
Officials said parallel missions such as the Atal Innovation Mission, GENESIS, NIDHI, SVEP, ASPIRE, and PMEGP strengthened grassroots and deep-tech entrepreneurship. They added that AIM 2.0 now focused on scaling proven models and addressing ecosystem gaps through collaboration with states, industry, and academia.
The government said women-led startups and rural enterprises played a growing role in the ecosystem. It said more than 45% of recognised startups had at least one woman director or partner as of December 2025.
Looking ahead, the Centre said startups would remain central to India’s growth journey. It said the ecosystem would support innovation-led development as the country moved toward the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
