The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has entered into a strategic partnership with a leading fintech platform, Razorpay, to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem. The collaboration has been formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at supporting startups, innovators and entrepreneurs across the country.

The partnership seeks to empower startups with access to financial tools, founder enablement programmes and ecosystem support to accelerate growth. It is expected to assist early- and growth-stage startups in scaling efficiently by leveraging digital payment solutions, financial infrastructure and startup support initiatives. The collaboration will also provide incorporation support, mentorship and structured guidance to help startups formalise, build and expand their operations.

As part of this initiative, a dedicated platform, Startup Sahayak, has been launched to support early-stage founders. The platform aims to provide end-to-end assistance, including company incorporation, access to central and state government schemes and programmes, and guidance on funding opportunities, thereby enabling startups to access essential ecosystem support through a structured interface.

Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Sanjiv, stated that the collaboration reflects the Department’s commitment to strengthening India’s startup ecosystem through partnerships with leading fintech players. He emphasised that facilitating seamless access to financial infrastructure and tools will play a crucial role in accelerating the growth of startups.

Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Razorpay, Shri Harshil Mathur, highlighted that the partnership is driven by a shared vision to enable innovation and make the entrepreneurial journey more accessible and scalable. He noted that with the increasing emergence of startups across the country, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, there is a growing need for robust infrastructure, mentorship and ecosystem support.

Under the collaboration, DPIIT and Razorpay will conduct regular knowledge sessions on topics such as applied artificial intelligence, marketing, product development and financial management through the Startup India Hub to ensure wider outreach. DPIIT-recognised startups will also be provided incorporation support with zero professional fees (excluding applicable government charges), along with access to credits and incentives across a range of financial and business tools.

Startups will also gain access to mentorship support, pitch deck reviews, application guidance and curated resources to support early-stage growth. Selected startups will be onboarded into curated founder communities to facilitate peer learning, networking and access to additional ecosystem support across domains such as engineering, hiring and marketing.

The collaboration will further explore the organisation of innovation challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge framework, with a focus on fintech-driven problem statements and digital innovation.

The MoU was signed by Deputy Secretary, DPIIT, Shri T. L. K. Singh and Chief Information Officer, Razorpay, Shri Arif Khan, in the presence of officials from both organisations.

 

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Abhishek Dayal/Shabbir Azad/Anushka Pandey

 

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