National Startup Day 2025: Hard Work Paving the Path to Indian Startup Success
“The Startup Day each year will focus on India's amazing entrepreneurs and will also help us redouble our collective efforts to achieve even greater heights to help us build startups that tackle the greatest challenges”, - Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel.
Encouraging Innovation for Sustainable Growth
In India, Startups play a vital role in underscoring societal challenges and technological advancements through developing and launching unique and demanded solutions. This auspicious day aims to inspire the young force of India to become successful entrepreneurs and identify their unwavering efforts in revolutionize India into a land of innovation and determination. Here are a few key programs focused on strategic objectives to be held-
• Initiatives & Policies: Setting the stage to reinforce startups-focused government policies and initiatives like Startup India Scheme, Funds of Funds, MAARG Platform, and Credit Guarantee Scheme.
• Awards & Recognition: To fuel the development of Indian startup ecosystem, “Bharat Startup Awards” to be conducted to celebrate top performing startups of India including startup exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and many networking events.
• Mentorship & Guidance: Conducting Pitch arena – a special platform for startups, where they are invited to pitch and showcase their projects lively in front of investors. It acts as a way to secure funding and avail the valuable mentorship from experts in marketplace.
• Discussions & Strategies: A full-day event (Startup to Scale-up Summit) to be held that includes panel discussions, networking opportunities, funding presentations, and branding for businesses.
• Startup Fest: The Ministry of Education - MoE is organizing ‘UDYAMOTSAV-2025’ in 14 key cities of India to celebrate National Startup Day – 2025. Fascinated candidates such as students, startups, and faculties of startups who have raised funds from educational institutes must register at the website ‘yukti.mic.gov.in’ and are requested to attend the event.
Ten Years of Triumphs!
On this special day, let’s have a deeper look at the outstanding journey of Indian startup landscape over the past 10 years.
2015 is the year when the startup ecosystem of India got re-sparked with enthusiastic entrepreneurship fueled by the government’s continuous emphasis and support for startups. In this year, India had nearly 4,200 startups, secured funding of $5 billion and generated over 80,000 jobs across the country. After a decade, the number of startups has skyrocketed immensely. Today we have nearly 1,40,000 DPIT-registered startups registered under the initiative ‘Startup India’.
In spite of global economic challenges, Indian startups rocked and bagged a total funding of $30.6 billion in 2024.
Over the past 10 years, startups of India have engrossed incredible investor interest, tapping $140 million collectively. Both the international players (SoftBank, Tiger Global and Sequoia Capital) and in-country players (Nexus Venture Partners, Kalaari Capital, Blume Ventures and Accel India) have contributed majorly and continue to play a pivotal role in the Indian funding scenario.
Ten years back, the word ‘Unicorn’ was associated with Indian startups hardly. But today, our nation boasts over 118 unicorns, jointly valued at more than $385 billion. Key cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, NCR, and Mumbai have boomed as hotbeds for startup revolution, making India to own the title of 3rd largest startup ecosystem globally. To mention notably, women entrepreneurs has been shown a noticeable growth, over 73,000 startups having at least one women founder and director. They broke the glass ceilings by bringing fresh perspectives and discovering strategic solutions for numerous problems in the business landscape.
Indian Government and its Support for Startups
Marking its 9th successful year, ‘Startup India’ initiative, a one astonishing scheme launched by Indian government in 2016 has been played a pivotal role in incentivizing and catalyzing the emerging startups through diverse actions including funding programs, tax exemptions, and backing and navigating accelerators and incubators in a right way to support the right ones. In addition, government continued its support to startups with AIM-Atal Innovation mission and FFS-Fund of Funds for Startups which has further fueled the growth of emerging players.
In the month of July 2024, Indian government abolished the angel tax on startup investments. This provided a much-needed and wanted boost and support to entrepreneurs and investors. In the world’s most powerful and largest tech-showcase CES 2025, Indian startups made a solid presence by displaying their ground-breaking innovations globally.
“The Indian story is a really interesting story. It's definitely the one that's grown over the last several years”, - John T. Kelley, Vice President & Show Director, CES.
The advancements in technology, especially in blockchain, IoT, and AI have unleashed the startups to underscore the evolving challenges where the startups have tood as forerunners in advancing their solutions and services using cutting-technologies.
Read What Leading Startup Forces have to say,
#Amol Deshmukh, Founder & CEO, MedRabbits says, on National Startup Day 2025, we celebrate how India’s startups are reshaping industries and driving meaningful change. Beyond making the country self-sufficient, the startup ecosystem has created countless opportunities, providing jobs for the youth and fueling economic growth. The healthcare sector stands out, with startups bridging gaps in accessibility and redefining quality care for millions. India’s home healthcare market is projected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 17.36% from 2024 to 2032. This growth is driven by an expanding aging population, rising cases of chronic diseases, and a growing emphasis on patient-centric care. For an aging population and a growing nation, this shift isn’t just timely—it’s necessary”.
#Sanket Shendure, Chief Product & Growth Officer, Niyogin Fintech says, “Startup in India today means possibilities - to change the status quo, solve hard problems and be a part of creating history while contributing to nation building”.
#Zafar Imam, Co-Founder, Supermoney, says, “The Indian startup ecosystem is among the top three in the world. This sector is expected to grow at 20% or more YOY. Investors across the globe are willing to invest in Indian startups. The support of the Government will open new opportunities for them and may remove some bureaucratic hurdles”.
#Padmakumar Nair, Founder & CEO, Ennoventure: “Innovating for India’s Growth is not just a theme—it is a reality driven by the vibrant startup ecosystem that fuels our economy and transforms industries. With over 1, 12,718 DPIIT-recognized startups spread across 763 districts, India has firmly established itself as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, showcasing the immense potential of innovation and entrepreneurship.
National Startup Day 2025 is a moment to reflect on how startups are not just creating economic value but also addressing some of the most pressing challenges faced by society. From driving technological advancements to generating employment and promoting a culture of innovation, startups are at the forefront of India’s growth narrative”.
#Rahul Garg Founder & CEO, Moglix: “The ambitions are becoming bigger and bolder – not just limiting to the India market but competing in the highest end of technology and in terms of playing into the global market. Indian startups are now close to completing the first phase of maturity and many are closing in on major milestones like going public”.
On this day, celebrate the unstoppable passion of startup forces driving India's future forward and encouraging them to rewrite the script of success filled with innovations and inventions
Wholly, startups in India advocate a heavy resilience and determination over these years. National Startup Day 2025 is not just a normal celebration day that covers the past achievements of startup but an occasion for government and startups to take an oath for dedicating themselves in driving sustainable innovation and growth into the nation. In fact the journey has just begun, and the upcoming decades pledge us to showcase even more adventurous developments. What are your views and commitments for the future of Indian startups?