National Startup Day 2026: India's Startups Drive Innovation, Economic Growth

• National Startup Day, observed on January 16, celebrates entrepreneurs and their contributions to India's economy and technological advancement.
• Launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2022, the day highlights innovation, determination, and policy support in reshaping society.
• India is the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 1.59 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups and 100+ unicorns by early 2025.
• Startups in fintech, edtech, health-tech, e-commerce, and deep-tech are addressing challenges, driven by AI, blockchain, and IoT.
• DPIIT-recognised startups have created over 16.6 lakh direct jobs, with significant contributions from IT Services and Healthcare.

Why It Matters: National Startup Day 2026 emphasizes India's thriving startup ecosystem as a global innovation and job creation hub.