Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Startup India Mission has become a revolution in just ten years, fostering a new culture across the country. Addressing an event marking a decade of Startup India on National Startup Day at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Mr Modi said, today, India is the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem.
Saying that India’s youth are focused on solving real problems, the Prime Minister commended all the young innovators who have shown the courage to see new dreams. He said, on National Startup Day, this gathering of startup founders and innovators reflects the future of a new and rapidly developing India.
The Prime Minister said that a decade ago, India had fewer than 500 startups, and now this number has soared to over two lakh. In 2014, India was home to just four unicorns, but now there are more than 125 active unicorns, and this remarkable growth has captured the world’s attention. The Prime Minister noted that currently, over 45 perccent of recognised startups in India have at least one female director or partner. He added that in terms of women-led startup funding, India boasts the second-largest ecosystem in the world, and this growing inclusivity within the startup sector is enhancing the country’s potential. Mr Modi said Startup India is not just a scheme but a Rainbow Vision as it is a medium to connect different sectors with new opportunities.
On the occasion. Mr Modi also visited the exhibition area at an event and interacted with exhibitors. In his address, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that in the last decade, a big change has been brought in the startup ecosystem under the leadership of the Prime Minister. He said, in 2016, there were just 400 startups, but now it has reached over two lakh.
Startup India was launched on 16 January 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a transformative national programme to nurture innovation, promote entrepreneurship and enable investment-driven growth. The objective of this initiative is to make India a nation of job creators rather than job seekers. Over the past decade, Startup India has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s economic and innovation architecture. It has strengthened institutional mechanisms, expanded access to capital and mentorship, and fostered an enabling environment for startups to grow and scale across sectors and geographies. India’s startup ecosystem has witnessed unprecedented expansion during this period, with more than two lakh startups recognised across the country.
