National Startup Day: India's Ecosystem Raises $151 Billion, Mints 118 Unicorns in 10 Years

• India's startup ecosystem has raised $151 billion across 25,000+ funding rounds and created 118 unicorns over the past decade since the Startup India program launched.
• The number of registered startups grew from 500 in 2016 to over 2 lakh, making India the world's third-largest startup ecosystem.
• Government interventions like funding schemes (Fund of Funds, Seed Fund Scheme), tax benefits, mentorship, and simplified regulations supported this growth.
• Funding peaked in 2021 with $38.7 billion raised and 44 unicorns created, followed by a slowdown post-2022 due to rising global interest rates and valuation resets.
• The focus is now shifting from scale to substance, with deep-tech, AI, sustainability, and long-term value creation becoming key priorities for founders and investors.

Why It Matters: India's startup ecosystem has seen massive growth and funding, now shifting focus to sustainable, deep-tech innovation.