Under the Delhi Startup Yuva Festival 2026, Delhi’s Minister for Training and Technical Education, Ashish Sood, engaged with 100 student startups at a program held at Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women. Sood revealed plans for a forthcoming comprehensive “Startup Incubation Policy” that will allocate Rs325 crore over five years to support 5,000 startups from inception to market. This policy aims to offer various forms of assistance such as intellectual property protection, fair valuation, funding access, market connections, and resource support.
The Minister commended the innovative spirit, creativity, and technical prowess displayed by the young entrepreneurs. He emphasized the Delhi government’s commitment to not only granting degrees but also creating avenues and platforms for students to thrive. Sood stressed the importance of fostering a robust startup culture, highlighting the immense potential of Delhi’s youth, which, with proper guidance and resources, can gain global recognition.
Sood noted that such initiatives inspire young individuals to transition from job seekers to job creators. He affirmed the Delhi government’s ongoing efforts to bolster a conducive startup ecosystem through mentorship, training, and investment prospects. The selected startups showcased their inventive concepts and projects during the interactive session, where Sood also welcomed suggestions from the budding entrepreneurs and instructed officials to provide essential support and coordination.
The government’s overarching vision, as outlined by Sood, is to offer structured institutional backing from “Campus to Market,” aiming to move beyond mere ideation. Nearly 1,000 startups participated in the recent festival, with 700 delivering detailed presentations and 100 being shortlisted. This initiative seeks to provide a robust platform to nurture Delhi’s youth’s innovative potential.
Sood highlighted a student-developed drone repurposed for fogging operations as an example of innovation. He proposed future applications of such drones for surveillance and security by Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to enhance neighborhood safety measures. The Minister also mentioned plans for a comprehensive policy to bridge innovative ideas with actual markets, angel investors, and financial institutions. He stressed the importance of integrating incubation efforts across universities and technical institutions to offer better guidance and prevent resource duplication.
The Delhi Startup Yuva Festival 2026 aims to foster innovation, research, and entrepreneurship among students while establishing connections with industry stakeholders. This initiative signifies a significant stride towards positioning Delhi as a prominent hub for startups and innovation.
