National Entrepreneurship Day

National Entrepreneurship Day: Empowering Youth for Viksit Bharat

India has made significant strides in building a supportive environment for aspiring entrepreneurs. This progress holds particular significance for a nation where nearly 65% of the population is under 35. Recognising the potential of this demographic dividend, the Government has undertaken a range of initiatives to empower young Indians across fields including entrepreneurship.

Over the past decade, youth have increasingly moved beyond the role of beneficiaries to become active contributors to national development. Today, the ‘Amrit Peedhi’ is emerging as a driving force behind the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. Entrepreneurship is central to this transformation, enabling young Indians to turn ideas into enterprises, generate employment and contribute to economic growth.

Recognising the importance of entrepreneurship in India’s development journey, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was established on 9 November 2014. The day is observed as National Entrepreneurship Day.

Indicators of Growth in India’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

The shift from job seekers to job creators reflects India’s growing entrepreneurial spirit.  

India has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world. The number has grown significantly, from fewer than 500 in 2014 to more than 2.62 lakh DPIIT-recognized startups as of November 2026.  Indian startups are increasingly launching IPOs, creating jobs, and attracting global attention.

Notably, startups are present across all States and Union Territories. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat have emerged as leading regions in terms of the number of recognized startups and direct employment generation as on 31st March 2026.

Startups have been able to create more than 25 lakh jobs (up to October 2026). The number of startups recognized increased by 51.6% year-on-year in FY 2025-26 compared to FY 2024-25, while direct jobs created rose by 36.1% during the same period.

Besides, more than 1.07 lakh recognized startups have at least one woman director or partner, accounting for ~48% of total recognized startups (As of March 2026).

Schemes Strengthening India’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Through the Government’s policy support and innovation-focused initiatives, easier access to finance, and digital platforms, entrepreneurship continues to expand across India.

The Startup India initiative was launched in 2016. This initiative has evolved from a policy-focused framework into a comprehensive, multi-dimensional platform that supports startups at every stage, from ideation to scaling operations. To fast-track innovation-led entrepreneurship, several flagship schemes and digital platforms support funding, mentorship, and the scaling of startups, through the Startup India initiative.

• Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS): The FFS is a flagship initiative of the DPIIT under the Startup India Action Plan, managed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). With a corpus of ₹10,000 crore, the scheme channels funding through SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which invest in startups. This mechanism aims to enhance access to domestic risk capital and strengthen India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 was notified in April 2026, with a separate corpus of ₹10,000 crore. It focuses on mobilising venture and growth capital, particularly for deep-tech, innovative manufacturing and early-growth-stage startups. Under the initiative, SIDBI has committed ₹12,623 crore to 166 AIFs, which have invested ₹28,254 crore in 1,475 startups (October 2026).

• Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS): The CGSS has been operational since April 2023 and facilitates collateral-free loans to eligible startups through eligible financial institutions. To boost capital mobilization, the scheme’s guarantee cover per borrower was expanded from ₹10 crore to ₹20 crore in FY 2025-26. Besides, this reduces the annual guarantee fee to 1% for 27 Champion Sectors such as aerospace and defence, bio-technology, railways, tourism and hospitality services, financial services etc. As of October 2026, the scheme has guaranteed 532 loans worth ₹1,662.71 crore to startups employing 41,637 people.

• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS): The SISFS, with a corpus of ₹945 crore, provides financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototyping, product trials, market entry and commercialisation. An Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) oversees the scheme’s implementation, execution and monitoring.  Under the scheme, ₹775.67 crore has been approved for 4,194 startups across 32 States/UTs through 244 incubators. This includes 2,147 women-led startups and 2,356 startups from Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

• Startup India Hub: The Startup India Online Hub (2017) is a digital platform that enables stakeholders across India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to discover, connect and collaborate. It bridges aspiring entrepreneurs with investors, mentors and incubators while bringing together funds, academic institutions, corporates, and government bodies to foster a connected and supportive startup ecosystem.

• National Mentorship Portal (MAARG): The Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth (MAARG) programme facilitates easy access to mentorship for startups by connecting entrepreneurs with experienced mentors. Mentorship is intended for startups across different sectors, stages and geographical locations. It provides strategic guidance, supports business growth, and strengthens India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

• Startup India Investor Connect Portal: Developed in collaboration with SIDBI, the Startup India Investor Connect Portal (2023) facilitates connections between startups, venture capital funds and investors, particularly supporting early-stage ventures. It enables entrepreneurs to reach multiple investors through a single application, streamlining the process of presenting their business ideas and accessing potential funding opportunities. As of 9 November 2026, there are 11,582 startups registered on the portal.

Launched in 2016 by NITI Aayog, the AIM is the Government’s flagship initiative to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across schools, universities, research institutions, startups, and industry. AIM provides an integrated framework for developing innovation programmes, fostering partnerships, and strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. AIM 2.0, approved in November 2024, has an outlay of ₹2,750 crore up to March 2028. It expands this foundation through wider participation, stronger startup support and deeper regional collaboration.

Introduced in 2015, PMMY helps micro and small enterprises obtain loans of up to ₹20 lakh without collateral for income-generating activities in the non-corporate, non-farm sector. The Scheme offers loans under four categories based on borrowers’ funding needs and the stage of their business growth.

The loans meet term-financing and working capital requirements for manufacturing, trading and service businesses, as well as agriculture-allied activities such as poultry, dairy and beekeeping.

As on 30 October 2026, PMMY had sanctioned 2.44 crore+ loans amounting to over ₹3.3 lakh crore during FY 2026-27.

Established in 2016, the MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), promotes technology-led innovation and strengthens India’s startup ecosystem. It serves as a central platform connecting incubation centres, Centres of Excellence in emerging technologies, and other MeitY-supported initiatives to drive innovation and technology-led economic growth. As of 9 November 2026, MSH supports a growing ecosystem of over 6,149 startups, 518 incubators, and over 329 labs across India.

The TIDE 2.0 Scheme (2019) promotes technology-driven entrepreneurship by strengthening incubators that support Information and Communication Technology (ICT) startups leveraging emerging technologies such as IoT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and robotics. The scheme provides holistic support across healthcare, education, agriculture, financial inclusion (including digital payments), infrastructure and transportation, and environment and clean technology. It operates through 51 incubators located in leading academic institutions and national research organisations across the country.

The GENESIS (Gen-next Support for Innovative Startups) initiative aims to scale up around 1,600 technology startups, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities across India. Launched in 2022, it provides funding and support to promote deep-tech innovation and strengthen emerging startup ecosystems. The initiative has a budgetary outlay of ₹490 crore for a period of five years. It seeks to strengthen India’s technology startup ecosystem through collaboration among startups, government institutions, academia and corporates.

In August 2026, GENESIS Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Cohort 3 was launched. It is a national-level programme to support aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, students and early-stage startup founders in transforming innovative ideas into technology-driven ventures.  Notably, selected innovators can receive financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh, along with incubation, mentorship and product-development support.

Launched in 2016 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, NIDHI is an umbrella programme that nurtures knowledge-based and technology-driven ideas and innovations into successful startups. It builds an innovation-led entrepreneurial ecosystem that promotes socio-economic development through wealth and employment generation. NIDHI has made significant contributions to India’s startup ecosystem. It has supported over 12,000 startups, over 200 Technology Business Incubators (TBIs), generating over 1,30,000 jobs. Further, it has contributed to the creation of over 1,150 intellectual property (IP) assets (11 October 2026).  

ASPIRE promotes innovation and entrepreneurship in rural and underserved areas. It focuses on setting up Livelihood Business Incubators (LBIs) for micro-enterprise creation, skilling and re-skilling opportunities, and workforce supply to industrial clusters. As of October 2026, 109 LBIs have been approved and more than 1 lakh beneficiaries skilled.

The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) promotes self-employment by supporting the establishment of new micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector. It provides beneficiaries with a margin money subsidy linked to bank loans to help meet the cost of setting up these enterprises.

The scheme is implemented by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under the Ministry of MSME, ensuring wider outreach and effective last-mile delivery.

Project Cost Limits: The scheme supports projects with costs of up to ₹50 lakh in the manufacturing sector and ₹20 lakh in the service sector.

The scheme provides assistance under General and Special categories. The Special Category covers SC/ST/OBC communities, Minorities, Women, Ex-servicemen, Persons with Disabilities and Transgender applicants, as well as beneficiaries from the Northeastern Region, Hill and Border areas, and Aspirational Districts.

Launched in June 2020, the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) is a micro-credit scheme for street vendors.

Loans and credit facilities: It supports vendors’ working capital needs through collateral-free loans that increase from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 and then ₹50,000, backed by interest subsidies and credit guarantees. Those who repay the second loan can also qualify for a UPI-linked RuPay credit card with a ₹30,000 limit.

Digital participation: Vendors receive up to ₹1,600 in cashback for retail and wholesale digital transactions.

Welfare coverage: Under SVANidhi se Samriddhi, access to eight selected Central welfare schemes is facilitated for vendors and their families on the basis of socio-economic profiling.

As of 9 November 2026, the scheme had reached over 80.7 lakh beneficiaries, with more than ₹20,400 crore sanctioned.

This scheme, launched in 2025, supports young women from business ideation to enterprise creation through entrepreneurship training, financial and market guidance, and legal support. Selected participants receive 21 weeks of mentorship and handholding to help develop sustainable enterprises. Notably, targets under the Swavalambini pilot have been achieved.

Entrepreneurship Beyond Metros: Tier II, Tier III and Rural India

India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is expanding beyond traditional metropolitan hubs. 52% of recognised startups originate from non-metro cities, reflecting the growing geographical spread of innovation. Businesses are increasingly choosing Tier-II and Tier-III cities for their lower costs, skilled talent, stronger industrial clusters, and improving infrastructure. As innovation spreads across Bharat, emerging cities are powering the next wave of entrepreneurship and economic growth. Rural entrepreneurship is also gaining momentum through targeted livelihood and enterprise-development programmes.

• In August 2026, the Government launched the National Campaign on Entrepreneurship-II under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), for another three months, till 21 November 2026. The campaign aims to strengthen rural women’s entrepreneurship and contribute to the vision of making 6 crore Lakhpati Didis.
• The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) aims to promote rural entrepreneurship by enabling households to set up and scale local enterprises. By June 2026, SVEP had supported 4.32 lakh rural enterprises across the country. The programme has strongly focused on social inclusion and equitable access to entrepreneurship opportunities. Around 86% of entrepreneurs belong to SC, ST, Minority, and OBC communities.  

Together, these initiatives are strengthening local enterprise creation, widening livelihood opportunities and enabling entrepreneurship to contribute to more geographically inclusive growth.

Powering India’s Journey Towards Viksit Bharat 2047

India’s startup ecosystem is transitioning from rapid expansion towards sustainable growth and deeper integration with the real economy. As the country progresses towards a projected $7.3 trillion economy by 2030 and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, startups will continue to play a significant role in driving innovation, generating employment and strengthening economic growth. Their expanding contribution reflects India’s growing entrepreneurial capacity and the potential of innovation-led enterprises to support long-term, inclusive development.

References

Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)

https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/pm-inaugurates-digital-india-week-2022-in-gandhinagar

Ministry of Labour & Employment

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2179001&reg=3&lang=1

Ministry of Commerce and Industry

https://www.investindia.gov.in/team-india-blogs/public-private-partnerships-driving-economic-growth

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2215334&reg=3&lang=1

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2127843&reg=48&lang=2

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2253019&reg=48&lang=2

https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/credit-guarantee-scheme-for-startups.html

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2227597&reg=3&lang=1

https://seedfund.startupindia.gov.in/about

https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1886031&reg=48&lang=2

https://investorconnect.startupindia.gov.in/

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2328842&reg=6&lang=1

https://www.dpiit.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/07/93101e3d9cc67f0dea0ae0c93f6e8854.pdf

Ministry of Finance

https://www.mudra.org.in/

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

https://msh.meity.gov.in/assets/GENESIS_Admin%20Approval.pdf

https://msh.meity.gov.in/schemes/genesis

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2155057&reg=3&lang=1

World Bank

https://ppp.worldbank.org/country-profile-india

International Monetary Fund

https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2001/09/gerrard.htm

Niti Aayog

https://www.niti.gov.in/divisions/division/ppp

Others

https://x.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/2088271329133031425

PIB Archives

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2199237&reg=3&lang=1

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