Prime Minister's Address on Startup India Anniversary
Prime Minister addressed a mega event marking the 10th anniversary of the Startup India initiative on January 16, 2026.
Significant Achievements
- Record Registrations: In 2025, nearly 44,000 startups were registered, marking the highest annual addition since the program's launch in 2016.
- Global Ecosystem: India has become the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, growing from fewer than 500 startups a decade ago to over 200,000 today.
- Unicorn Growth: The number of unicorns has surged from 4 in 2014 to nearly 125 active ones by 2025.
Cultural Shift Towards Entrepreneurship
- Risk-taking: The cultural perception of risk-taking has shifted, becoming mainstream and respected.
- Innovation Acceptance: Ideas once considered fringe are now fashionable, encouraging more entrepreneurs to pursue their visions.
Government Support and Investment
- Fund of Funds for Startups: Over ₹25,000 crore has been invested to support startup growth.
- Fund of Funds 2.0: Approved with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore to focus on deep tech sectors like artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum technologies, defense, and aerospace.
- These areas are pivotal for national growth and aim to position India as a global leader.
- The initiative seeks to provide risk capital, as startups in these fields require time to develop proof-of-concept and achieve success.
Conclusion
The achievements of the Startup India initiative underscore the momentum and impact of entrepreneurship in India, with an emphasis on innovation, job creation, and economic growth.
