Delhi Launches Startup Youth Festival 2026 to Fuel Student-Led Innovation

On this occasion, the government reiterated its commitment to promoting student entrepreneurship and establishing Delhi as the startup capital of India.

Addressing students, mentors, industry representatives, and academicians, the Education Minister, Ashish Sood, said that institutions like NSUT are not just centres of academic learning, but powerful hubs of innovation and nation-building. He said that today's students are the architects of 'Developed India', and this festival marks the beginning of a transformative "Campus to Market" movement.

Highlighting India's startup journey, the Education Minister said that before 2014, India had only three unicorns and a limited startup ecosystem. Today, India has approximately 125 unicorns with a combined valuation of over US$366 billion. Along with this, the country has more than 1.97 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups, making India the world's third-largest startup ecosystem.

He attributed this transformation to the decisive shift from 'policy paralysis' to 'policy action' under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Sood also emphasised the inclusive nature of India's startup growth, stating that today approximately 45 per cent of Indian startups are led by women. He described entrepreneurship as the most effective means of social change.

This transformation is also a story of profound social change. Among the greatest achievements of this era is our story of inclusion. This is a fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi often emphasises to demonstrate that entrepreneurship is the most powerful tool for social change. When a daughter of India starts a startup, she not only transforms her own life but also the future of her family and community, he said.

Inspired by this national momentum, Sood stated that the Delhi government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is working towards making Delhi the capital of student innovation. He said that the Delhi Startup Youth Festival will evolve into a major annual platform, bringing together universities, colleges, IITs, mentors, investors, and industry under one roof to create a robust "campus to market" ecosystem.

The Education Minister also highlighted that currently, over 75,000 students and young innovators are engaged in entrepreneurship programs supported by the Delhi government, with an annual growth rate of 30 per cent. More than 470 startups are being incubated in key sectors such as healthcare, sustainable development, and manufacturing.

Early-stage startups are creating an average of 4-5 direct jobs in their first year and collectively generating revenue of up to Rs. 500-600 crore.

Sood announced that the Delhi government is proposing to launch the Delhi Startup Policy 2025 for five years with a proposed outlay of Rs. 325 crore, aiming to support 5,000 startups by 2035. Under this policy, the Delhi Student Seed Fund is being established to ensure that no innovative idea fails due to a lack of financial resources in the early stages. Under this program, the top six startups will receive an equity-free seed grant of up to Rs. 10 lakh each, while the top 100 student startups will receive assistance of Rs. 1 lakh each.

Motivating students towards meaningful innovation, the Minister said that the value of an idea lies not in how safe it is, but in how meaningful it is. He said that India's next unicorn could emerge from a hostel room, a laboratory, or even a campus like NSUT.

Calling upon the youth of Delhi to lead this transformation, Sood said that Delhi should become India's startup capital not through a mere declaration, but through the achievements and entrepreneurial spirit of its young innovators.

Amidst enthusiastic participation from students, mentors, startups, and industry representatives, the Delhi Startup Youth Festival 2026 was formally launched.

- ANI