Mamatha Venkatesh has been named the new Head of Startup India under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Her appointment is expected to play a crucial role in advancing the goals of India’s startup ecosystem.
Strategic Focus Areas
Under her leadership, Startup India is likely to emphasise:
- Stronger policy frameworks for startup growth
- Enhanced stakeholder collaboration
- Support for women entrepreneurs and regional innovation hubs
- Inclusion of sustainability-driven and tech-for-good ventures
Ecosystem Expectations
Industry stakeholders view her appointment as timely, given the increasing demand for investment-readiness and global competitiveness. Leaders in the startup space anticipate that her strategies will align with India’s larger economic goals, including job creation and export promotion.
Background of Startup India
Launched in January 2016, the Startup India program has:
- Recognised over 100,000 startups
- Enabled regulatory ease
- Provided access to funding, mentorship, and markets
- Catalysed reforms to encourage entrepreneurship across sectors
Vision for the Future
With the evolving startup landscape, Ms. Venkatesh is expected to push for:
- Tier 2 and Tier 3 city outreach
- Sector-specific accelerators
- Stronger ties with international innovation networks
- Practical policy-to-ground execution alignment
Industry Reception
The business and innovation community has welcomed this leadership change, seeing it as an opportunity to energise India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with stronger institutional support and direction.
Who is she?
Mamatha Venkatesh is known for her expertise in innovation management, enterprise enablement, and public-private partnerships. Her track record includes driving impactful results in complex policy environments. As the new face of Startup India, she is expected to bridge the gap between intent and implementation, bringing fresh energy and vision to one of India’s most significant startup missions.
