Telangana CM announces Rs 1,000 crore fund for startups
Hyderabad, Dec 10
The Telangana government will create a Rs 1, 000 crore fund for startups, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced on Wednesday.
He urged the startups to use the fund to grow and become the next Google. He emphasised the need to focus on product-based, innovative and IP-intensive startups.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the inauguration of Google for Startup Hub at T-Hub, India's largest startup incubation centre in Hyderabad.
The Chief Minister stated that the government wants to create a good ecosystem for the growth of startups in the state.
He told the startups that the Telangana government and Google have come together to create a support system for them.
Calling Google one of the top startups in Hyderabad, he mentioned that in 1998, two Stanford University friends with lofty aspirations floated the startup in a garage in California and today it has become the global giant Google.
He pointed many startups started 20 years ago have become billion-dollar companies today. Google, Apple, Amazon, Tesla, and Facebook are some great examples, he said.
CM Revanth Reddy stated that in the last 25 years, many startups in Hyderabad have become big companies in the fields of software services, pharma and life sciences.
"Hyderabad should not only grow as a startup hub. We want startups to grow into unicorn companies. We hope that at least 100 startups from Hyderabad will grow as unicorn companies," the Chief Minister said.
Referring to his government's vision to make Telangana a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047, he urged startups to grow into $1 billion companies. “By 2034, at least 10 of them should grow as super unicorn companies,†he said.
He compared startups to the game of football. "I play football. In football, you have to work hard, practice hard. It's teamwork, but finally winning is most important. Its the same with startups," he said.
Minister for IT, Electronics and Communications D. Sridhar Babu said the launch of the hub would further expand the innovation ecosystem. He said it was designed not only to help startups build great technology products but to strengthen their entire capacity to innovate.
Google said it plans to engage regional startups from Telangana through the Hub, including free, year-long dedicated coworking seats for selected AI-first startups and a curated set of venture investors. The Telangana government and Google will support AI-first startups, foster talent, and create direct bridges to international markets.
As part of the global Google for Startups network, the Hub is designed to support startups across their journey from incubation to innovation. It will provide founders with a combination of physical infrastructure, hands-on mentoring, AI expertise, and global visibility through the Google for Startups network. Startups will find a centre that supports them from early product ideas to scaling AI-first businesses responsibly across India and global markets.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Rs 1,000 crore is a massive commitment. While the vision is great, I hope the government ensures this fund doesn't just benefit the usual suspects in HITEC City. Startups from Tier 2 cities in Telangana like Warangal or Karimnagar also need support. The ecosystem must be inclusive.
Comparing startups to football is interesting! The teamwork angle is correct, but the government needs to be a good coach and referee—setting clear rules and providing the right infrastructure. Just throwing money isn't enough. The T-Hub and Google combo looks promising though.
Working in Bangalore's startup scene, it's good to see Hyderabad getting this push. Competition between states is healthy and drives innovation. The direct bridge to international markets Google is offering could be the key differentiator. Telangana is thinking big with that $1 trillion goal.
Hope this leads to more product-based companies from India, not just service-based. We have the talent to create the next Google or Tesla, but need patient capital and a culture that tolerates failure. The CM's vision for 100 unicorns is ambitious, but ambition is what we need! 🇮🇳
As a small entrepreneur in pharma, I appreciate the mention of life sciences. Hyderabad is already a leader here. If this fund can help bridge the gap between lab research and commercial products in pharma and biotech, that would be a massive contribution to 'Make in India'.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.