New delhi january 9 2026
The Government of Delhi today inaugurated the Delhi Startup Yuva Festival 2026 at the iconic campus of Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), reaffirming its commitment to fostering student entrepreneurship and positioning Delhi as India’s Startup Capital.
Students as Architects of Viksit Bharat
Addressing students, mentors, industry leaders, and academicians, the Hon’ble Minister for Education, Shri Ashish Sood, stated that institutions such as NSUT are not merely centres of academic learning, but powerful hubs of innovation and nation-building. He said that today’s students represent the architects of Viksit Bharat, and that the festival marks the beginning of a transformative campus-to-market movement.
India’s Startup Transformation Since 2014
Highlighting India’s remarkable startup journey, the Education Minister said that prior to 2014, India had only three unicorns and a limited startup ecosystem. Today, India has nearly 125 unicorns with a combined valuation exceeding USD 366 billion, along with more than 1.97 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups, making it the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. He attributed this transformation to a decisive shift from policy paralysis to policy action under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji.
Women-Led Startups and Social Transformation
The Minister further emphasised the inclusive nature of India’s startup growth, pointing out that nearly 45% of Indian startups are led by women, and described entrepreneurship as one of the most effective instruments for social transformation. This transformation is also a story of deep social change. One of the proudest achievements of this era is our narrative of inclusion. Today, nearly 45% of Indian startups are led by women. This is a point which Narendra Modi Ji frequently highlights to show that entrepreneurship is the most powerful tool for social transformation. When a daughter of India starts a startup as a business, she doesn’t just change her own life; she changes the destiny of her family and her community.
Delhi’s Vision to Become the Capital of Student Innovation
Drawing inspiration from this national momentum, Shri Sood stated that the Delhi Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta, is working towards making Delhi the capital of student innovation. He added that the Delhi Startup Yuva Festival will evolve into a flagship annual platform that brings together universities, colleges, IITs, mentors, investors, and industry leaders under one roof to enable a robust campus-to-market ecosystem.
Growing Startup Ecosystem in Delhi
The Education Minister also shared that more than 75,000 students and young innovators are currently engaged in Delhi Government-supported entrepreneurship programmes, registering an annual growth rate of 30%. Over 470 startups are being incubated across key sectors including healthcare, sustainability, and manufacturing. Early-stage startups are generating 4–5 direct jobs in their first year and collectively achieving revenues in the range of ₹500–600 crore.
Delhi Startup Policy 2025 and Student Seed Fund
Shri Sood announced that the Delhi Government is proposing the Delhi Startup Policy 2025, with a projected outlay of ₹325 crore over five years, aimed at supporting 5,000 startups by 2035. As part of this initiative, a Delhi Student Seed Fund is being established to ensure that promising ideas do not fail due to a lack of early-stage financial support.
Equity-Free Grants for Student Startups
Under the programme, equity-free seed grants of ₹10 lakh will be awarded to the top six startups, while ₹1 lakh each will be provided to the top 100 student startups. Encouraging students to pursue meaningful innovation, the Minister remarked that the focus should not be on whether an idea is safe, but whether it is meaningful, adding that India’s next unicorn could emerge from a hostel room, a laboratory, or a campus like NSUT.
Youth-Led Innovation to Define Delhi’s Startup Future
Calling upon Delhi’s youth to lead this transformation, Shri Sood concluded by stating that Delhi should become the Startup Capital of India not by proclamation, but through the achievements and enterprise of its young innovators.
The Delhi Startup Yuva Festival 2026 was officially declared open amid enthusiastic participation from students, mentors, startups, and industry leaders.
