India's start-up ecosystem created 25 lakh jobs in a decade, says Jitendra Singh

India's start-up ecosystem has generated nearly 24–25 lakh jobs over the last decade, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said at an event on Saturday.

Addressing the RISE Conclave 2026 in Bengaluru, organised under the theme "Innovation & Entrepreneurship Driven Growth for Viksit Bharat 2047", Singh said the growth of the start-up ecosystem reflects India's emergence as an innovation-driven economy. He noted that the country's start-up ecosystem, which comprised only around 350–400 start-ups about 10 years ago, has expanded to nearly 2.3 lakh ventures, making India the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem and reflecting its transition into a full-fledged innovation economy.

He said the Prime Minister's call for Startup India in 2015 laid the foundation for an entrepreneurial culture, while subsequent reforms opened new avenues for private participation in strategic sectors and encouraged young Indians to pursue innovation-driven careers.

The minister said the RISE Conclave was conceived to bring together the four pillars of research, industry, start-ups and entrepreneurship on a common platform and foster collaboration among scientists, industries, investors, academia and policymakers.

More than half of start-ups emerge from smaller cities

Singh said more than 50% of India's start-ups are now emerging from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, demonstrating that innovation is no longer confined to metropolitan centres. Highlighting developments in the aerospace sector, he said mach33.aero, described as the country's first public-private aerospace incubation centre established by CSIR-NAL and its partners, has completed five years of operations and incubated 34 start-ups. More than 125 start-ups are participating in the RISE Conclave 2026, many of them from the aerospace sector.

The minister said India has opened up sectors such as space to private participation and has made significant progress through policy reforms and industry involvement. He added that biotechnology, deep ocean exploration and nuclear energy are also witnessing increased collaboration with private stakeholders.

Singh also said India's position in the Global Innovation Index has improved over the last decade, while patent filings by Indian residents have witnessed steady growth. He highlighted progress under the National Quantum Mission and the IndiaAI Mission, saying both initiatives are creating opportunities in emerging technologies.

The RISE Conclave 2026 featured discussions on aerospace technologies, artificial intelligence and agri-food innovation, along with exhibitions, industry interactions and participation from start-ups, MSMEs, investors, scientists and academic institutions.