As the Startup India initiative completes ten years on January 16, entrepreneurs believe that India has emerged as one of the most attractive destinations for global investors and that the future of entrepreneurship in the country looks bright.
Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath said that the last decade has been a great period for startups in India, especially when compared with other global regions.
“Policy stability and consistency have given India an edge over competing markets,” he added.
Kamath noted that global investors, while being cautious about Europe, China and even the US, remain optimistic about India.
“India’s startup story has been narrated well abroad, which has increased investor appetite,” he stated.
“Entrepreneurship has now become socially acceptable and even cool among young Indians,” Kamath noted.
OYO founder and CEO Ritesh Aggarwal shared his personal experience of engaging with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as a “startup Prime Minister”.
“The Prime Minister has the rare ability to think big while also focusing deeply on execution at the ground level,” Aggarwal said.
He credited initiatives like Startup India for changing social attitudes towards entrepreneurship, even within families.
“My own mother began to see entrepreneurship as a respectable career choice only after the government strongly backed startups at the national level,” Aggarwal stated.
MapmyIndia CEO and Executive Director Rohan Verma said the Prime Minister’s long-term vision for Digital India and Startup India has been inspiring for young innovators.
“Such leadership sends a powerful message to the next generation and will have a lasting impact on India’s innovation ecosystem over the next two decades,” Verma said.
Meesho co-founder Sanjeev Barnwal said India’s startup ecosystem has thrived since 2014 due to initiatives like Startup India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Policybazaar CEO and co-founder Yashish Dahiya said the government’s focus on “less government, more governance” created a strong foundation for startups.
“Startup India helped build a nationwide entrepreneurial movement, reaching districts and states across the country,” he said.
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