Delhi bets big on innovation: ₹325 crore startup policy aims to power 5,000 new ventures

The Government of NCT of Delhi hosted the Campus to Market: Delhi Startup Yuva Festival 2026 to back the city’s youth entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Delhi's ₹325 crore startup policy to power 5,000 new ventures

Organised in collaboration with TiE Delhi-NCR, the festival brought together students, startup founders, investors, incubators, academic institutions, and policymakers.

It was attended by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister, Government of NCT of Delhi; and Ashish Sood, Minister for Education, Higher Education, Home, Power, Urban Development and Training & Technical Education, Government of NCT of Delhi.

As reported by The Economic Times, Ashish Sood mentioned that the Government is planning a new Startup Policy with a proposed outlay of Rs 325 crore over five years to support 5,000 startups by 2035.

The announcement indicates a decisive shift toward nurturing early-stage entrepreneurship, especially among students and young founders, while strengthening the city’s innovation ecosystem.

The new framework places a strong emphasis on a “campus-to-market” approach, aiming to transform colleges and universities into active breeding grounds for startups.

By integrating incubation centres, mentorship networks and easier access to funding within educational institutions, the government hopes to help ideas move swiftly from classrooms to commercial markets.

Under the policy, startups will receive support across multiple stages of their journey from ideation and validation to scaling and market access.

This includes equity-free grants, incubation support, subsidised infrastructure, mentorship by industry experts, and investor connect programmes.

The government also plans to introduce performance-linked funding mechanisms to ensure that public money is channelled toward ventures demonstrating real growth and impact.

A significant portion of the Rs 325 crore outlay will be directed toward building and upgrading incubation and acceleration infrastructure across Delhi.

Special focus areas are expected to include deep tech, artificial intelligence, clean energy, healthcare, education technology and social impact startups, aligning with national priorities and future-ready sectors.

The announcement was made alongside initiatives like the Startup Yuva Festival, indicating the government’s intent to tap into student innovation and encourage first-time entrepreneurs.

By lowering entry barriers and de-risking the early stages of entrepreneurship, the policy aims to make startup creation more inclusive and accessible.

With this move, Delhi joins a growing list of states aggressively competing to attract startups and talent.

Also read: “When you’re in that tough situation, you need to survive": Airwallex CEO who works 80–100 hrs a week, says burnout never crossed his mind (startuppedia.in)