28/04/2026
At the Unicorn Summit, Delhi
Mr. Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, DPIIT, highlighted the remarkable expansion of India’s startup ecosystem—from nearly 400 startups in 2016 to over 200,000 today across 56 sectors—signalling a powerful shift from job seekers to job creators and a more inclusive entrepreneurial culture.
He shared that government initiatives have focused on enabling startups through revised definitions, tax benefits, deeptech support, Funds of Funds, and wider sectoral inclusion. Looking ahead, he emphasized the need to address priorities such as patient and late‑stage capital, stronger domestic institutional funding, regulatory sandboxing, enhanced mentoring and Entrepreneur‑in‑Residence programs, and a sharper focus on invention‑led innovation.
Underscoring the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, he noted that “the future is not a destination, but a construction site,” and called upon all ecosystem partners to collaborate in building India’s innovation‑driven growth story.
