Startup India: A Decade of Transformation, Rebuilding India's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

• Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, has completed ten years, fundamentally reshaping India's startup landscape.
• The number of recognized startups surged from 500 in 2016 to over 2.09 lakh by 2025, creating over 21 lakh jobs.
• Key reforms include the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (Rs 945 crore) and Fund of Funds for Startups (Rs 10,000 crore) to address funding gaps.
• Regulatory hurdles were reduced by decriminalizing over 4,458 legal provisions and allowing self-certification for compliance.
• Government e-Marketplace facilitated over Rs 38,500 crore in transactions for startups, and India now boasts around 120-125 unicorns.

Why It Matters: Startup India's decade-long policy reforms have structurally transformed India into a leading global startup ecosystem.