New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS): On the ninth anniversary of the "Startup India" initiative, a grand Startup Mahakumbh was held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, where Aman Gupta, co-founder of Boat, expressed his strong admiration for the program.
Gupta described the Startup Mahakumbh as an exceptional event. He said, “Startup Mahakumbh is a fantastic program. It began last year, and this is its second edition. I have witnessed startup events in Dubai, Singapore, and Finland. Now, India is hosting such a program, which is a great achievement for the country. This event will only grow bigger and better every year, and we are happy to be a part of it.”
Aman Gupta emphasised how India is evolving as a global leader in nurturing startups, positioning itself as an important hub for entrepreneurial growth. The Startup India initiative has been instrumental in creating an ecosystem that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship across the country.
Arcana Jahagirdar, Founder of Rukm Capital, highlighted the importance of sustaining this momentum. Speaking to IANS, she explained, “The objective is to ensure that the startup ecosystem continues to develop. Small nations abroad host startup events, but India did not have a platform where all stakeholders could come together. Startup Mahakumbh was created with this purpose. The ecosystem must keep expanding, and today, we must inspire and encourage our youth to become wealth and job creators. The development of this country lies in the hands of its youth, and that is why Startup Mahakumbh is happening.”
Jahagirdar stressed the necessity of focusing on startup policies, further stating, “The progress of our country is in the hands of its youth, and we need to pay special attention to policies that will nurture startups in the future.”
Anjali Bansal, Founder of Avana Capital, spoke about the vision behind the initiative, acknowledging the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said, “It was our Prime Minister Modi’s vision to launch the Startup India initiative nine years ago. Today, we celebrate its ninth anniversary and National Startup Day. Over the past decade, we have seen tremendous growth in our innovation and technology ecosystem. Around 150,000 startups have been registered. I believe this number should at least triple in the coming years.”
The program saw attendees highlight the significant contributions of Startup India in realising the vision of a developed India. They noted that initiatives like Startup India play a crucial role in transforming the country’s entrepreneurial landscape.
As the Startup India mission progresses, it is poised to continue supporting the growth of startups, contributing to economic development and job creation across the nation.