Government Is A Big Ally of Startups in India: SPF's Startup Baithak Pioneers Policy Dialogue With 100+ Founders, Leaders, and Regulators

New Delhi [India], January 16: Startup Policy Forum (SPF), with the support of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Startup India, ended 2-days of Startup Baithak on a high-note, with attendance from dignitaries including Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa; Dr Shamika Ravi, Member, EAC-PM (Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister); S. Krishnan, Secretary, MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology); Sanjiv Singh- Joint Secretary DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade); Abhishek Singh, CEO, India AI Mission; Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary, NEST Division, Ministry of External Affairs; Anita Shah Akela, Joint Secretary, Corporate Affairs & IEPF; Rajesh Bansal, CEO, RBIH (Reserve Bank Innovation Hub); Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO, MEITY Startup Hub; Harsha Bhowmik, Director - Digital Economy and Fintech; Dr. Dipesh Shah and Mr. Joseph Joshy, GIFT City.

Moreover, the Startup Baithak witnessed participation from startups including Swiggy, Acko, BharatPe, Razorpay, CRED, Pine Labs, Groww, OYO, Practo, Dream11, MPL, CarDekho, FamPay, InVideo, Ixigo, MobiKwik, One Card, ProgCap, Digantara, Physics Wallah and Jupiter, amongst others. Hosted at the iconic G20 Summit Room in Bharat Mandapam, the discussions focused on tackling pressing challenges, exploring innovative solutions, and aligning strategies to propel the country's startup ecosystem forward.

Speaking at Startup Baithak, Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, expressed, "India's startup ecosystem has grown exponentially, from 356 startups in 2016 to over 40,000 in 2024, making us the third largest globally. This progress is fueled by a robust digital infrastructure, government initiatives like the AI Mission, and growing contributions from tier 2 and 3 cities, which now account for nearly 50% of startups. With collective efforts, we are poised to make India the world's leading startup hub and achieve our vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2044."

Addressing the founders at Startup Baithak, Dr. Shamika Ravi, Member, EAC-PM (Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister), shared, "The government recognizes the challenges faced by startups and values their role in addressing critical public issues like healthcare, financial inclusion, and digital transformation. As we evolve from an agricultural to an industrial economy, startups must embrace calculated risks and articulate their concerns more effectively. With data-driven insights and a focus on industry-wide challenges, startups can build a stronger partnership with the government, which stands as a steadfast ally in fostering innovation and growth."

S Krishnan, Secretary, MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said, "Startups are the backbone of innovation and disruption, particularly in the technology sector. To truly unlock their potential, we need to focus on ease of doing business, which addresses their key challenges while paving the way for more meaningful job opportunities and greater inclusivity in the ecosystem. A fresh perspective on policies and support mechanisms is essential to empower startups and ensure they contribute significantly to the nation's growth."

Abhishek Singh, CEO, India AI Mission, shared, "The core of India AI Mission is focused on how we can create a more enabling forum for startups, entrepreneurs and the ecosystem. We continue to understand the challenges and deep dive further into how we can establish India as a leader in responsible AI, with priorities on infrastructure, data accessibility, AI skills, and safety."

Rajesh Bansal, CEO, RBIH, shared, "There's a unique opportunity in India to transform it as a fintech nation. For our vision of a Viksit Bharat, the fintech companies will play a pivotal role. Through initiatives like Startup Baithak, it is important to create opportunities that facilitate open dialogue, collaboration, and innovation between startup leaders, regulators, and policymakers."

Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President and CEO, Startup Policy Forum (SPF) shared, "Startup Baithak is more than just a platform--it is a movement that aims to bring together the brightest minds across startups, government, and industry to address the most pressing challenges and co-create solutions for a thriving innovation ecosystem. As we reflect on the incredible discussions from Day 1, it's clear that the shared vision and determination of all stakeholders will propel Indian startups to new heights, globally."

These 2 days of interactive sessions at Startup Baithak further aim to bridge the vision of India's next-generation nation builders with the mission of policymakers and regulators. Moreover, SPF intends to consolidate all the suggestions and present them to relevant ministries and stakeholders for further discussions and deliberation.

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