The government has acknowledged more than 55,200 startups in the financial year 2025-26, the highest number in a single year since the Startup India initiative began. This growth underscores the expanding startup ecosystem in India, driven by policy support, funding, and increased entrepreneur participation.
Launched on January 16, 2016, the initiative aims to foster innovation, attract private investments, and boost entrepreneurship on a large scale. As of March 31, 2026, India has recognized a total of over 2.23 lakh startups, which have collectively generated more than 23.36 lakh direct jobs.
Of these startups, over 1.07 lakh have at least one woman director or partner, constituting nearly 48% of the total. The data reveals a significant year-on-year increase, with a 51.6% rise in startup recognition in FY26 compared to FY25. Additionally, direct jobs created by startups surged by 36.1% to over 4.99 lakh in FY26.
The government continues to support startups through various schemes like the Fund of Funds for Startups, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups, offering financial aid at different startup lifecycle stages. Over Rs 7,000 crore has been disbursed to more than 135 Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) under the Fund of Funds for Startups by the end of FY26, with investments exceeding Rs 26,900 crore in 1,420 startups.
To further bolster this support, the government has introduced the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore. The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups has also been expanded to enhance capital accessibility.
