Kolkata is often described as a city of culture and leisure. But entrepreneurial mindset is not something that the city is naturally associated with. While it is the third most populous metropolitan in the country, it lags behind several other metropolitan and Tier-I cities when it comes to startup friendliness. However, West Bengal and Kolkata is particular are gradually moving towards becoming a conducive environment for entrepreneurs to establish successful startups in.

The prerequisite for any city to become a startup hub is the presence of a strong eco-system that includes incubators, accelerators, angel investors and venture capital funds. The guidance imparted by these stakeholders helps young startups in the initial planning and early growth stage. The city is currently home to incubators including IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, Ekta Technology Business Incubation Center, Kolkata Ventures Incubators among few others. Additionally accelerators such as Neoleap Accelerator, Startup Bengal Acceleration centers and Amplifi SaaS Accelerator have also been playing a major supporting role in helping young entrepreneurs set up shop within the City of joy. Additionally there is a healthy presence of co-working spaces and even VC firms that have strengthened the Kolkata startup ecosystem.

With a strong support system in place, Kolkata is also benefiting from the economical operational and living cost that it provides to entrepreneurs and professionals alike. Be it setting up an office or picking office space in a co-working option, the cost is much lesser as compared to other metropolitan cities of India.

Often criticized for its laidback attitude when it comes to professional life, Kolkata has largely been misunderstood. The city is home to a talented and proficient pool of professionals looking for the right opportunity to come their way. Helped by the economic cost of living, the city is the best bet for young techies starting out in the professional lives.

The current edition of StartupCity aims to bring to the fore some upcoming startups that have developed into a workplace of choice for young professionals. Having fostered a high growth work environment, these firms are presenting great opportunities for young employees to learn the ropes and transform into proficient leaders of tomorrow.