The Indian startup ecosystem has witnessed a remarkable transformation since the launch of the Startup India initiative in 2016. Satya Narayan Meena, additional CEO and CFO at Government e-Marketplace (GeM), announced the registration of over 160,000 startups and the creation of 1.6 million jobs at the Startup Mahakumbh 2025. Meena emphasized that innovation is now thriving across the country, not just in metropolitan areas.
He described the event as a celebration of possibilities, aimed at fostering collaboration among key stakeholders to drive India’s entrepreneurial growth. In these years, we have seen Indian startups grow from modest beginnings into global disruptors. The numbers tell part of the story: over 160,000 registered startups, more than 100 unicorns, and over 1.6 million jobs created.
But beyond these figures lies a more powerful truth: entrepreneurship in India is no longer the privilege of a few; it has become the expression of the many,” said Meena. He shared examples illustrating the diversity of India’s innovation ecosystem, including a young founder from Bhubaneswar developing climate tech solutions, a group of women from Trichanapalli revolutionizing the handicraft industry, a deep tech team from Shimla working on advanced energy AI solutions, and a young entrepreneur from Ranchi enhancing national security with an AI-enabled drone surveillance system. “This is the new India, and we are here to celebrate where innovation is being imagined, not just in metropolitan hubs but in the fields of Nashik and the classrooms of Shillong’s North East.
This Mahakumbh brings together all ministries of the Government of India, incubators, investors, corporates, academia, and a thousand entrepreneurs who are here not just to exhibit but to connect, collaborate, and create the future together,” Meena added. India is now home to over 115,000 DPIIT-recognized startups and more than 110 unicorns as of 2024. Despite global economic challenges, startups have raised over USD 12 billion in funding in 2024, underscoring the sector’s resilience.
Celebrating India’s entrepreneurial innovation
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal announced a Rs 70 crore challenge to promote the growth of new Indian startups at the second edition of Startup Mahakumbh 2025. The event hosts competitions to foster innovation in fields such as cybersecurity, AI, robotics, biotech, and more.
The Startup MahaRathi Challenge, India’s largest privately-funded challenge, is open exclusively to DPIIT-recognised startups in the early or growth stages and actively operational in Indian markets. Shortlisted startups will receive access to sector-specific mentorship programs, and the top 150 startups will pitch their ideas to a Grand Jury at Startup Mahakumbh 2025. Winners will receive comprehensive support packages that include financial and strategic incentives such as funding, business grants, corporate credits, mentoring, networking opportunities, and exposure to investors, policymakers, and industry leaders.
The second edition of Startup Mahakumbh is set to showcase breakthrough innovations such as flying taxis and sustainable hybrid propulsion rockets. The event aims to bring together numerous startups, including tribal entrepreneurs, with Commerce and Industry Minister inaugurating the event. The event promises to be a melting pot of ideas and technologies, emphasizing sustainable solutions and new-age transportation.
Among the key attractions are demonstrations of a flying taxi prototype and a hybrid propulsion rocket designed to be more eco-friendly. Startup Mahakumbh provides a platform for startups to present their groundbreaking technologies and facilitates networking opportunities, investor meet-ups, and expert panels to discuss the future of innovation in various industries. The event reaffirms the commitment to fostering a vibrant startup culture and encourages the infusion of fresh ideas into traditional industries.
By providing a stage for startups and entrepreneurs, it aims to pave the way for a new era of innovation and sustainability.
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