Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Gujarat excel as top Startup performers
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In an awards ceremony held in New Delhi on January 16, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Gujarat emerged as the top-performing states at the National Startup Awards. The event saw Tamil Nadu securing the highest score, achieving the 94th percentile in incubation and mentorship, the 79th percentile in innovation and entrepreneurship, and the 75th percentile in outlining a roadmap for sustainable futures.
Tamil Nadu's StartUp TN initiatives, including the TAN Seed Fund and SC/ST Startup Fund, received commendation for their impact on the state's startup ecosystem. Similarly, Kerala was recognized for resource development, investment and procurement leadership, sustainable development, incubation, mentorship, and innovation.
Addressing the ceremony, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized the pivotal role startups play in India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. He applauded the diverse contributions across sectors such as MedTech, FinTech, AgroTech, aviation, drones, and simulators. Goyal identified tourism as an untapped sector, encouraging startups to explore innovative ideas for sustainable tourism.
Goyal commended the significant progress in the startup sector over the last eight years, highlighting that what was once a novelty has now become an integral part of the national mainstream. He expressed confidence in the young and old's entrepreneurial spirit, urging them to contribute unique perspectives and ideas.
India, now the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, according to Goyal, is set to witness further support for startups through key initiatives. These include categorizing startups into sectors for more focused interactions, sanitizing data for location tracking and development stage, and ensuring registration on the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) portal.
The Minister called for greater collaboration and mentoring through the MAARG portal, emphasizing outreach and onboarding startups with the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Goyal also announced the upcoming 'Startup Maha Kumbh' scheduled for March 2024, assuring continued government support for the startup ecosystem.
As the nation gears up to transition from an emerging to a developed startup system, Goyal invited entrepreneurs to leverage the vast consumer market and collaborate for sustained growth.