India has officially recognised 1,57,066 startups, with over 73,000 having at least one woman director, according to the government’s update on Wednesday. This marks a significant achievement under the ‘Startup India Initiative,’ with nearly half of these startups led by women.
The country’s startup ecosystem has grown rapidly, making India the third-largest startup hub globally, with over 100 unicorns contributing to this success. Cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR are leading this transformation as centers of innovation.
In 2024, 13 new-age companies launched their IPOs, raising over Rs 29,200 crore from the stock market. Among them, 10 were mainboard IPOs and 3 were SME IPOs. The growth of startups is fueled by affordable internet access and India’s young, dynamic workforce, leading to advancements in sectors such as fintech, edtech, health-tech, and e-commerce.
India's startups are increasingly leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and IoT to address both local and global challenges. The government's Startup India programme, launched in 2016, has been instrumental in supporting this innovation-driven ecosystem.
Additionally, initiatives such as the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and the SAMRIDH scheme, which offers financial support to software startups, are helping to further accelerate the growth of India’s entrepreneurial landscape.
