India is observing National Startup Day today while marking 10 years of the StartupIndia initiative, which was launched in 2016 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister to strengthen the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. At the time of its launch, India had approximately 400 startups, limited access to capital, and entrepreneurship was often perceived as challenging and uncertain. The initiative focused on creating an enabling environment through regulatory simplification, improved access to funding, mentorship support, and national and international recognition for startups.

Over the past decade, the startup ecosystem has expanded significantly. India now has more than 2 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups, recording a 95 percent compounded annual growth rate since 2016. On average, around 80 startups are recognised daily. These startups have generated over 21 lakh jobs, with an average of 11 jobs per startup. Growth has been geographically and socially broad-based, with 52.6 percent of recognised startups located in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Nearly half of the startups have at least one woman director, and startups are active across 56 or more sectors, including IT Services, Healthcare and Lifesciences, Education, Agriculture, and Construction. India is currently among the world’s largest startup ecosystems and is the third-largest unicorn nation.

Assam’s startup ecosystem has also seen growth during this period, supported by Startup India policies and schemes. RC Hobbytech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., based in Guwahati, operates in the drone technology sector and contributes to the development of the emerging drone ecosystem in Eastern India. The company is recognised under Startup India and has availed benefits such as Section 80-IAC income tax exemptions, which helped reduce early-stage financial pressure. According to the company, these exemptions enabled reinvestment into research and development, manufacturing expansion, and talent development. Startup India’s digital recognition framework and policy support have been particularly relevant for startups operating in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Another Assam-based startup, Dessoi Naturals LLP from Jorhat, operates as a premium tea and wellness brand focusing on natural and sustainably sourced tea blends. The startup received debt support under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) through the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India incubation centre. Following this support, Dessoi Naturals expanded its market presence across India and developed collaborations with brands including Audi, Mercedes, and Porsche. The company was also featured in WOW Hyderabad Magazine as one of the top homegrown Indian tea brands.

As the Startup India initiative completes ten years, these examples from Assam illustrate the role of policy support, funding access, and institutional frameworks in enabling startup growth across regions. The initiative continues to focus on fostering innovation, employment generation, and inclusive entrepreneurship across the country.

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