From a few hundred ventures to 230,000 startups, India’s innovation ecosystem has generated nearly 2.5 million jobs while expanding beyond major cities.
India’s startup ecosystem has generated nearly 2.4 to 2.5 million jobs over the past decade since 2015, while the number of startups has grown from approximately 350–400 ventures to around 230,000, according to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh.
Speaking at the RISE Conclave 2026 in Bengaluru, held under the theme “Innovation & Entrepreneurship Driven Growth for Viksit Bharat 2047”, Singh said the expansion has helped position India as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem and reflects the country’s evolution towards an innovation-led economy.
The minister attributed much of the sector’s growth to policy measures introduced over the last decade, including the Startup India initiative launched in 2015. He said reforms aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and private-sector participation in strategic industries have contributed to a more supportive environment for innovation and employment generation.
Singh noted that the RISE Conclave was designed to bring together research institutions, industry, start-ups and entrepreneurs to encourage collaboration among scientists, investors, policymakers and academia. He said such partnerships are essential for building a self-reliant and technology-driven economy.
Highlighting developments in aerospace innovation, Singh acknowledged the public-private incubation centre mach33.aero, established by CSIR-NAL and its partners, has completed five years of operation and supported 34 startups. More than 125 startups participated in this year’s conclave, with a significant presence from the aerospace sector.
The minister also pointed to a shift in the geography of entrepreneurship, stating that over half of India’s start-ups now originate from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. He said this demonstrates that innovation and entrepreneurship are increasingly accessible beyond metropolitan centres.
Singh further highlighted growing private-sector participation in areas such as space, biotechnology, deep-ocean exploration and nuclear energy. He also cited progress under initiatives such as the National Quantum Mission and the IndiaAI Mission, alongside improvements in India’s global innovation ranking, patent activity, and research output.
The conclave featured discussions on aerospace technologies, artificial intelligence, and agri-food innovation, as well as exhibitions, technology transfer agreements, and interactions among startups, investors, researchers, and industry representatives.
(With inputs from PIB)
