MAKING A GLOBAL IMPACT

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS ARE NOT ONLY CREATING SOLUTIONS TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THEIR DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO ONES THAT CATER TO TWO-THIRDS OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION

- DEEPAK BAGLA

I recently had the privilege of being on a global webinar with a 19-year-old entrepreneur from Sitamarhi, Bihar. Instead of pursuing studies overseas or seeking a government or corporate job, this young entrepreneur established a start-up that provides a unique service. It helps other start-ups in neighbouring towns and villages raise funds and scale up their business. These start-ups represent every possible sector: agriculture, waste management, e-commerce, education, medicare and artificial intelligence, among others. These innovators are not just the navigators of India’s growth story but its very engines of growth. They are the creators of this growth and the energy that is propelling us into the future, to a ‘New India’.

New India is framed not only by enterprises but also the enterprise of countless entrepreneurs, both young and the not-so-young. The story of start-ups in India is not just the story of economics or finance or even the story of businesses. This story represents the immense social, economic and political transformations occurring within India at present. The elements of these changes have come together to create a singular trajectory towards growth and prosperity. They have enabled the most unprecedented transformation — both in scale and pace — ever seen in the free world. The start-up ecosystem in India is emblematic of these changes. It paints a picture of a future that is yet more prosperous for India and, indeed, the world.