New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS): Gujarat topped the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion's (DIPP) first-ever ranking of states on startup ecosystem.

Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Rajasthan followed Gujarat in the list and were adjudged the "top performers", according to an official statement released on Thursday.

"DIPP consulted all stakeholders of the startup ecosystem and came up with seven key reform areas as the basis of the states' start-up ranking framework. An online portal was launched, which was instrumental in enabling states seamlessly submit their initiatives across these reform areas", the Commerce Ministry statement said.

The key objective of the exercise was to encourage states and Union Territories to take proactive steps towards strengthening the startup ecosystems in their states, it added.

Following the "top performers" were Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, which were described as the "leaders". Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal came out as the "aspiring leaders" in providing a friendly ecosystem for startups to grow.

Assam, Delhi, Goa, jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand came under the "emerging states" category, while Chandigarh, Manipur, Mizoram, nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim and Tripura were ranked as "beginners".

A total of 27 states and 3 Union Territories participated in the exercise, the statement said.