Delhi govt holds startup roundtable, targets support for 10,000 startups and 4 lakh jobs

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) The Delhi government has stepped up efforts to position the national capital as one of India’s leading startup hubs, holding a high-level interaction with startup founders, entrepreneurs and industry representatives to seek their inputs on the implementation of the Delhi Startup and Incubation Policy 2026. 

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood participated in the meeting on Sunday, discussing ways to make the policy more practical, effective and responsive to the needs of entrepreneurs. The discussions focused on strengthening the startup ecosystem across universities, colleges and schools and creating the infrastructure needed to nurture new businesses.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government’s commitment to Delhi’s youth was now translating into concrete action. She said a roadmap had been prepared to establish incubation centres and develop startup infrastructure in educational institutions across the capital.

“The Delhi Startup and Incubation Policy 2026 aims to create the infrastructure and incubation ecosystem required to support startups in universities, colleges and schools,” Gupta said, adding that leading founders, CEOs and industry representatives from across the country had shared their experiences and suggestions with the government.

The Chief Minister said the government’s objective was not merely to increase the number of new companies in Delhi but to create an environment in which young people could pursue innovation and entrepreneurship while contributing to economic growth and job creation.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said the government was maintaining a continuous dialogue with industry to ensure effective implementation of the startup policy. He said the latest interaction was aimed at learning from entrepreneurs who had started businesses in Delhi and successfully scaled them.

Sood said the Delhi government has set a target of supporting and encouraging more than 10,000 startups during its tenure, with the broader objective of creating more than four lakh employment opportunities for young people.

He said a stronger startup culture could have an impact well beyond job creation by encouraging innovation and supporting an economy driven by new ideas, technology and entrepreneurship.

The initiative has also received support from entrepreneurs who participated in the interaction. Akash Gupta, co-founder and CEO of Zypp Electric, described the government’s engagement with startup founders as a significant step towards making Delhi a leading startup destination.

Gupta said the effort to encourage young entrepreneurs, provide guidance to first-time founders and expand incubation support could prove particularly valuable for college students looking to turn their ideas into businesses.

AstroTalk founder and CEO Puneet Gupta also welcomed the government’s decision to seek direct feedback from startup founders. He said his company had earlier considered starting operations in Delhi but suitable conditions were not available at the time.

However, his recent interaction with the Chief Minister and ministers indicated that the government was now taking the startup sector more seriously and was willing to work with entrepreneurs, he said.

Puneet Gupta said regular consultation with industry could help the government frame policies that are more closely aligned with the practical realities faced by businesses. He also highlighted the importance of employment generation in driving economic growth.

According to him, greater employment leads to higher incomes and consumption, creating a broader economic multiplier effect. Support extended to startups today, he said, could translate into significant economic gains over the next five to 10 years.

CashKaro and EarnKaro co-founder Swati Bhargava also praised the government for engaging directly with entrepreneurs. She noted that the Chief Minister and Education Minister had taken time on a Sunday to meet a large group of startup founders and listen to their concerns and suggestions.

Bhargava said the interaction sent a positive signal that the government wanted entrepreneurs to be active participants in the policymaking process. When people running businesses are involved in designing policies, she said, the resulting measures are more likely to be practical and effective.

--IANS

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