Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Indian youth is focused on solving real problems, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while celebrating the milestone of 10 years of the Startup India mission, on January 16. Speaking at the Bharat Mandapam in National Capital, PM Modi lauded the country’s startup founders and innovators who chartered a path for themselves and boosted the country’s image globally.
“India’s youth are focused on solving real problems. Driven by innovation and enterprise, India’s Startups are shaping a self-reliant and resilient economy,” PM Modi said. “In just 10 years, the Startup India Mission has become a revolution. Today, India is the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem,” he added. He also noted that a decade ago, there were fewer than 500 startups in the country.
“Today, that number has soared to over 2,00,000. In 2014, India was home to just four unicorns, but now it boasts more than 125 active unicorns. This remarkable growth has captured the world’s attention,” PM Modi said. These startups work in over 50 areas, including deep tech, space tech, drone tech, quantum tech, agritech, and AI/ML, among others. He said the startups are now becoming Unicorns, and the existing Unicorns are now launching IPO and creating several jobs in the country.
“I see before me the future of a new and emerging India,” he said, while appreciating those who showed the courage to dream. Recalling the situation a decade ago, he said there was no scope for individual effort and innovation at all. “We challenged those circumstances, we launched Startup India, and we gave the youth an open sky, and today the result is in front of us. This 10-year journey is not just the story of a government initiative’s success; it is the journey of thousands and lakhs of dreams like yours. It is the journey of countless dreams coming to life,” PM Modi said.
