Budget 2026: Startups Eye Big Benefits, Incentives, and Easier Funding

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the 2026 budget on February 1, with a strong focus expected on the startup sector.
• Startups anticipate robust incentives, easy bank loans, and simplified regulatory compliance to foster long-term growth.
• Key challenges for startups include fundraising difficulties, complex tax regulations, and collateral requirements from banks for government credit schemes.
• The sector demands clear guidelines for lending institutions, increased subsidies linked to vehicle sales for domestic production, and tax benefits for women-led and Edutech enterprises.
• Startups also advocate for increasing the GST registration limit from 20 lakh rupees to 1 crore rupees to ease compliance.

Why It Matters: Startups are keenly awaiting the 2026 budget for significant policy support, funding access, and regulatory simplification.