In a momentous celebration of India’s entrepreneurial spirit, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, launched the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge on National Startup Day 2025. The challenge, in collaboration with 20 leading corporations, is aimed at empowering Indian startups to address pressing issues across sectors such as renewable energy, agritech, healthcare, robotics, blockchain, and semiconductors.
Minister Goyal emphasized the government’s commitment to working closely with startups at every stage, from ideation to execution. “We will provide policy support, enabling India to become a global leader in innovation and tech-driven growth,” Goyal remarked.
The Bharat Startup Grand Challenge is part of a broader initiative by the government to foster innovation. By 2026, the government plans to introduce 75 such challenges as part of the Startup India initiative. The competition will offer startups opportunities to win cash prizes, funding, mentoring, and capacity-building support, boosting their growth and scalability.
A Decade of Growth: India’s Startup Revolution
Minister Goyal highlighted the exponential growth of startups in India over the past decade. In 2016, there were just 400 startups in the country, a number which has now skyrocketed to over 157,000 in 2024. The government’s efforts to create a conducive environment for entrepreneurs have played a significant role in this remarkable growth.
Insights from PRABHAAV
The government also shared data from the latest PRABHAAV factsheet (Powering a Resilient & Agile Bharat for the Advancement of Visionary BHAA Startups). According to the report, Indian startups have generated over 17.28 lakh jobs, with 51% of DPIIT-registered startups based in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, reflecting the country’s growing entrepreneurial reach beyond major metropolitan areas.
Startup Mahakumbh 2025
The National Startup Day celebrations also included a curtain-raiser for the Startup Mahakumbh 2025, an upcoming event scheduled to be held from April 3-5, 2025. The event is set to be a grand gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders, providing a platform for networking, learning, and collaboration.
Building the Future: Entrepreneurship as a Career Choice
Sanjeev Bikhchandani, a member of the National Startup Advisory Council, reflected on the evolving startup ecosystem in India. He noted that entrepreneurship is rapidly becoming a mainstream career choice among young people. He said, “Companies like HCL and Infosys were once startups. Today’s startups will become the giants of tomorrow.”
Government Support for Startups
Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary at DPIIT, highlighted the government’s continuous support for startups through initiatives like the Fund of Funds Scheme, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, and the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups. While India sees significant activity in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) domain, the government is eager to see more innovation in the deep-tech sector in the future.
Celebrating India’s Startup Ecosystem
Archana Jahagirdar, Founder and Managing Partner at Rukam Capital, praised the government’s efforts, saying, “National Startup Day is a celebration of the entrepreneurs who have transformed India’s economy. With focus on deep-tech, global partnerships, and support for manufacturing startups, India remains a hub of innovation and growth.”
India now boasts over 110 unicorns, making it the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, a testament to its thriving entrepreneurial landscape.
