Forging India's Next Decade of Startup-powered Growth

The journey of Indian startups has not only been about survival and scale but also about cementing their credibility as wealth creators

- By Resham Suhail

NOT TOO LONG AGO, India's startup landscape was little more than a patchwork of audacious experiments, garage ventures in Bengaluru, incubators in Delhi and a handful of restless coders and first-time founders' intent on challenging convention.

Today, that modest beginning has evolved into a formidable force, the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with more than 1.59 lakh DPIIT-recognised ventures as of January 2025.

Over the past decade, startups have shifted from the fringes to the very core of India's economic narrative. What began as fledgling experiments has become a mainstream engine of growth and innovation, producing success stories that reverberate globally. India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), for instance, has not just transformed domestic payments but emerged as a benchmark for the world. The country's entrepreneurial fabric now stretches far beyond the metro corridors, weaving into Tier 2 and 3 cities, creating over 16.6 lakh direct jobs while nurturing a new generation of opportunity and aspiration.

Rikant Pittie, Co-founder and CEO, EaseMyTrip believes, “The structural leap will come when every young dreamer from the small-town cities can access the same capital, mentorship, and market trust as a founder sitting in any metro city. As digital infra and Bharat consumption rise, the real multiplier lies in decentralising entrepreneurship and trusting it.”

IPO Wave

The journey of Indian startups has not only been about survival and scale but also about cementing their credibility as wealth creators. Once considered fragile bets, many ventures have built defensible niches, expanded categories and, in the process, delivered significant outcomes for founders, investors and the broader market.