India celebrates National Startup Day on 16 January 2026, marking 10 years of the Startup India Initiative. What began in 2016 as a policy-driven effort to energise entrepreneurship has grown into one of the world’s largest startup ecosystems. Today, startups are central to India’s economic transformation, innovation capacity, and inclusive regional development.
Why in News?
National Startup Day 2026 commemorates a decade of the Startup India Initiative, highlighting the scale, diversity, and global relevance of India’s startup ecosystem and its role in achieving Viksit Bharat 2047.
India’s Startup Ecosystem: Scale and Spread
- Over the last decade, startups have emerged as a pillar of India’s economic growth.
- As of December 2025, India hosts over 2 lakh startups, placing it among the world’s largest startup ecosystems.
- While major hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR continue to lead, nearly 50% of startups now originate from Tier II and Tier III cities, reflecting the democratization of entrepreneurship and balanced regional growth.
Why Startups Matter for Economic Growth
- Startups play a transformative role in India’s development.
- They drive technological innovation and productivity, generate large-scale employment, enhance financial inclusion and digital access, and promote grassroots entrepreneurship.
- By deploying solutions in agri-tech, telemedicine, microfinance, tourism, and ed-tech, startups are increasingly bridging the rural urban divide and addressing long-standing development gaps.
Women-Led Startups and Inclusive Development
- A major milestone of the past decade is the rise of women-led entrepreneurship.
- As of December 2025, over 45% of recognized startups have at least one woman Director or Partner.
- This reflects how innovation is not only driving economic value but also advancing social equity, gender inclusion, and regionally balanced growth.
Startup India Initiative
- The Startup India Initiative, led by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has evolved into a comprehensive support framework.
- India’s unicorn landscape grew from just four billion-dollar firms in 2014 to over 120 today, with a combined valuation exceeding $350 billion, underscoring global confidence in India’s innovation economy.
Key Flagship Schemes under Startup India
- To accelerate innovation-led entrepreneurship, DPIIT has rolled out multiple schemes and platforms.
- The Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), managed by Small Industries Development Bank of India, has a corpus of ₹10,000 crore, committed to 140+ AIFs, which have invested over ₹25,500 crore in 1,370+ startups.
- The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), with ₹945 crore, supports early-stage startups through proof of concept, prototyping, and market entry. The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) enables collateral-free loans, with 330+ loans worth ₹800 crore guaranteed so far.
Digital Platforms and Mentorship Support
- The Startup India Hub connects startups with investors, mentors, incubators, and government bodies.
- The States’ Startup Ranking Framework (SRF) promotes competitive federalism by ranking states on startup-friendly policies.
- The MAARG Mentorship Portal provides nationwide access to experienced mentors, while the Startup India Investor Connect Portal, developed with SIDBI, helps early-stage startups reach multiple investors through a single digital window.
Beyond Startup India: Supporting Innovation Nationwide
- India’s startup momentum is reinforced by sectoral initiatives.
- The Atal Innovation Mission, launched by NITI Aayog, has established 10,000+ Atal Tinkering Labs across 733 districts, engaging over 1.1 crore students.
- Programmes like GENESIS and the MeitY Startup Hub support deep-tech startups, while NIDHI under the Department of Science and Technology has supported 12,000+ startups and generated 1.3 lakh jobs.
Rural and Grassroots Entrepreneurship
- Schemes such as the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) under DAY-NRLM and ASPIRE under the Ministry of MSME focus on rural enterprises and livelihood creation.
- SVEP alone has supported 3.74 lakh rural enterprises as of June 2025, strengthening local economies and self-employment.
Why This Decade Matters
- A decade of Startup India represents structural transformation, built on India’s demographic dividend, digital public infrastructure, and sustained reforms. Startups are now embedded across priority sectors, driving jobs, innovation, exports, and global integration.
- As India moves towards a $7.3 trillion economy by 2030 and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, startups will remain central to growth and execution.
Key Summary at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
| Why in News? | National Startup Day marks 10 years of Startup India |
| Launch Year | 2016 |
| Total Startups | 2 lakh+ (Dec 2025) |
| Women-Led Startups | 45%+ with women directors |
| Tier II/III Share | ~50% |
| Unicorns | 120+ |
| Core Vision | Viksit Bharat 2047 |
Question
Q. National Startup Day is observed on which date?
A. 14 January
B. 15 January
C. 16 January
D. 26 January