Amit Shah Inaugurates Startup Conclave 2025, Showcases India’s Innovation Rise

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, inaugurated the Startup Conclave 2025 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, today, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel and several dignitaries. The conclave, organized under the theme “Innovate, Elevate, Accelerate”, aims to provide a platform for startups to connect with investors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders while shaping India’s future in the global innovation landscape.

A Platform for Ideas and Investment

The two-day conclave will host seven dedicated sessions, bringing together startup founders, venture capitalists, industry leaders, and government representatives. The focus will be on scaling innovations from “mind to market”, addressing sectoral challenges, and leveraging India’s growing digital ecosystem.

During the inaugural ceremony, Shri Amit Shah also launched the Compilation of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) — a repository of India’s traditional and modern knowledge in Ayurveda, classical arts, architecture, mathematics, philosophy, science, space research, and environmental studies. He emphasized that, through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Prime Minister Modi has created a vertical for IKS research, enabling the youth to undertake world-class research rooted in Indian wisdom.

From 500 Startups to 1.92 Lakh

Recalling the transformation since 2014, Shri Shah noted that India had fewer than 500 startups a decade ago, mostly limited to privileged families. With the launch of Startup India in 2016, India now has 1.92 lakh startups — a 380-fold increase.

• Unicorns: From 4 unicorns in 2014 to over 120 unicorns today, with a total valuation exceeding $350 billion.

• Sectoral Growth: 21,000 in IT, 17,000 in healthcare, and 11,000 each in agriculture, education, and services.

• Geographic Reach: Startups spread across 770 districts of India.

• Women Founders: 48% of startups are led by women, including 900 women-led startups in the Northeast.

• Job Creation: The ecosystem has provided 17.9 lakh sustainable jobs so far.

“Through Startup India, Prime Minister Modi has turned Indian youth into job creators rather than job seekers,” Shri Shah remarked.

India’s Global Innovation Ranking

Shri Amit Shah pointed out that in 2015, India ranked 91st in the Global Innovation Index. Today, the country stands at 38th place, reflecting its rising global stature. He expressed confidence that within the next three years, India will be among the top 10 innovation-driven nations, and in the future, a leader in global innovation.

Policy and Financial Support for Startups

Shri Shah highlighted that the Modi government has laid a comprehensive support framework for startups, including:

• Fund of Funds: ₹10,000 crore corpus.

• Startup India Seed Fund: ₹945 crore to support early-stage ventures.

• Enhanced Credit Support: Maximum loan limit increased from ₹10 crore to ₹20 crore.

• Proof of Concept & Prototype Funding: Up to ₹20 lakh for PoC and up to ₹50 lakh for prototype development.

• Ease of Business: Over 40,000 compliances removed and 3,400 outdated criminal laws repealed.

He further noted that Make in India and PLI schemes in 14 sectors have accelerated the manufacturing ecosystem, directly benefiting startups.

GST Reforms and Taxpayer Trust

The Home Minister also highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s role in successfully implementing GST, simplifying India’s tax structure. He pointed out that GST collections, which began at ₹80,000 crore, now exceed ₹2 lakh crore, while many goods have seen taxes reduced — some cut in half, some by one-third, and some to zero.

Similarly, income tax reforms have expanded tax-free income from ₹2.5 lakh in 2014 to ₹12 lakh today, reinforcing the government’s commitment to trust-based taxation.

Gujarat’s Role in Startup Growth

Shri Shah praised Gujarat’s leadership in the startup revolution. For the past four years, Gujarat has ranked first in the country for startups, with:

• 16,000 registered startups across sectors.

• Ahmedabad among top four cities, with 6,650 startups.

He commended Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for implementing Prime Minister Modi’s vision on the ground and making Gujarat a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Youth as the Backbone of New India

Concluding his address, Shri Amit Shah stressed that the youth and startups are the backbone of Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a New India. “Where there is talent, both the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat stand with the youth like a rock,” he said, urging stakeholders to innovate, scale, and accelerate for the nation’s growth.