Celebrating a Decade of Innovation: National Startup Day in India
National Startup Day Celebrations
New Delhi, Jan 16: On National Startup Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his heartfelt wishes to all those involved in the startup ecosystem, emphasizing that this day honors the innovative spirit, courage, and entrepreneurial drive of the Indian populace.
In a message shared on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister stated, “I extend my best wishes to everyone in the startup community on National Startup Day. This day is particularly significant as we commemorate ten years since the inception of Startup India. It is a celebration of the courage, innovative spirit, and entrepreneurial enthusiasm of our youth, who have significantly contributed to India's ascent in the global startup landscape.”
PM Modi is set to attend an event at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Startup India initiative.
During this event, he will engage with members of India's dynamic startup community. Selected representatives from various startups will share their entrepreneurial experiences, discussing the challenges they faced, their innovations, and their success stories. The Prime Minister will also deliver a speech at the gathering.
Launched on this day in 2016, the Startup India initiative aims to foster innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and facilitate investment-driven growth. The program was designed to transform India into a nation of job creators rather than job seekers.
Over the last ten years, Startup India has become a fundamental element of the nation's economic and innovation framework. It has enhanced institutional mechanisms, broadened access to capital and mentorship, and created a supportive environment for startups to flourish across various sectors and regions.
India's startup ecosystem has experienced remarkable growth during this time, with over 200,000 startups recognized nationwide. These startups have become vital contributors to job creation, innovation-driven economic development, and the strengthening of domestic value chains across multiple sectors.
National Startup Day will celebrate a significant decade for startups, recognizing them not only as economic engines but also as enduring symbols of India's innovation-led growth narrative.
Aligned with India's vision for a developed nation by 2047, this movement has profoundly influenced the country's entrepreneurial and innovation landscape.
Startups are now pivotal in driving economic transformation by fostering technological advancements and productivity, generating substantial employment opportunities, enhancing financial inclusion and digital access, and promoting grassroots entrepreneurship.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has evolved from a policy-centric approach to a comprehensive platform that supports startups at every stage, from ideation to scaling operations.
This progress is evident in India's thriving startup ecosystem, which has grown from just four privately held companies valued over $1 billion in 2014 to more than 120 such firms today, collectively valued at over $350 billion.
Since its launch on January 16, 2016, the Startup India initiative has transformed into one of the world's largest and most diverse entrepreneurial ecosystems.
With over 200,000 DPIIT-recognized startups as of December 2025, India has firmly established itself as a leading global hub for innovation, job creation, and inclusive growth.
A notable aspect of this ecosystem is the rise of women-led ventures, with 45 percent of recognized startups having at least one female director or partner as of December 2025.
Moreover, startups are increasingly emerging from Tier-II and Tier-III cities, indicating a democratization of entrepreneurship.
Several government-supported programs have bolstered this growth. The Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore managed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), has backed over 140 Alternative Investment Funds, which have invested more than Rs 25,500 crore in over 1,370 startups.
Additionally, the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) has facilitated collateral-free loans amounting to Rs 800 crore across more than 330 startups.
Furthermore, the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has allocated Rs 945 crore to over 215 incubators, supporting proof-of-concept, prototyping, and market entry.
The Startup India Hub serves as a digital platform connecting entrepreneurs with investors, mentors, and incubators. The States’ Startup Ranking Framework (SRF) promotes competitive federalism by evaluating states and union territories based on startup-friendly policies.
The Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth (MAARG) Mentorship Portal is a centralized platform designed to facilitate mentorship for startups, while the Investor Connect Portal links startups with venture capital funds, streamlining the fundraising process.
In addition to Startup India, various sector-specific initiatives have strengthened the ecosystem, including the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), which has established over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs across 733 districts, engaging 1.1 crore students in projects related to AI, robotics, and IoT, with Rs 2,750 crore allocated until 2028.