A groundbreaking insight into India’s startup boom: Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced that 50% of the 200,000+ DPIIT-recognized startups—over 100,000 strong—stem from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. This marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s innovation journey.
In his keynote, Singh traced the trajectory from 2016’s modest beginnings to today’s explosion. Key drivers include single-window clearances, patent fast-tracking, and Rs 10,000 crore fund commitments. Cities like Indore, Bhopal, and Thiruvananthapuram exemplify this shift, birthing unicorns in niche domains.
DPIIT data highlights the geographic diversity: Beyond Bengaluru’s 30%, UP, TN, and Telangana shine with 20% combined. Deeptech, cleantech, and D2C brands dominate, addressing hyper-local demands with world-class tech.
Economically, this translates to millions of direct jobs, MSME linkages, and export revenues. Pain points like talent retention and scaling infrastructure are being tackled via skill hubs and policy tweaks.
The minister called for sustained momentum: ‘Tier 2/3 are the new engines of Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ With 5G rollout and international collaborations, India’s startup ecosystem is primed for global leadership.