PM: Youth Focused On Fixing Problems

Speaking at an event marking a decade of the flagship programme, the Prime Minister said the ecosystem, which began with just four startups in 2014, has grown to nearly 125 active unicorns today. He expressed satisfaction with the progress of Startup India, noting that its most important achievement is the problem-solving mindset of young innovators.

Recalling the launch of the initiative 10 years ago, Modi said opportunities for individual innovation were limited then, but Startup India provided “an open sky” for youth. “In just 10 years, Startup India has become a revolution. Today, India is the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem,” he said, adding that the number of startups has risen from fewer than 500 in 2014 to over two lakh now.

He said India had only four unicorns a decade ago and nearly 125 today, drawing global attention to the country’s success story. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that many young participants present would become future case studies of India’s startup journey.

Highlighting momentum in the sector, he said startups are increasingly turning into unicorns, launching IPOs and generating jobs. In 2025 alone, nearly 44,000 new startups were registered, the highest addition in a single year, demonstrating the sector’s role in driving employment, innovation and growth.

Modi said Startup India has fostered a new entrepreneurial culture, breaking the earlier notion that business ventures were limited to large industrial families. Youth from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and even villages are now launching startups to address grassroots challenges, he said.

He also underlined the role of women, noting that over 45 per cent of recognised startups have at least one woman director or partner, making India the world’s second-largest ecosystem for women-led startup funding.

Referring to governance reforms, the Prime Minister said over 180 provisions have been decriminalised under the Jan Vishwas Act, easing compliance and enabling innovators to focus on growth. He added that self-certification, easier mergers and smoother exits have strengthened the ecosystem.

On future readiness, Modi said a `1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation scheme and a deep-tech fund of funds have been launched to support long-term investments in sunrise sectors. He noted that leadership in artificial intelligence will be critical and that India’s startups have a key role to play.

Announcing that India will host the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, he urged startups to aim for global leadership and continue developing solutions that benefit society and the nation.