Bengaluru continues to hold its position as India’s biggest startup hiring hub, but the country’s startup ecosystem is now spreading well beyond traditional metro centres, according to the latest report by talent platform Foundit.
The report showed that Bengaluru accounted for 20% of all startup jobs in April 2026, slightly lower than the 21% share recorded during the same period last year. Despite retaining the top spot, the marginal decline suggests startup activity is becoming increasingly decentralised across the country.
Delhi-NCR followed with a 14% share of startup jobs, while Mumbai accounted for 10%, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Tier-2, Tier-3 Cities Witness Rise In Startup Hiring
One of the biggest shifts highlighted in the report is the rapid growth of startup hiring in Tier-2 and Tier-3
cities. These cities now account for 36% of all startup jobs, compared to 31% in April 2025, indicating what the report described as a structural redistribution of startup opportunities.
Cities such as Jaipur, Kochi, Indore and Coimbatore are emerging as growing startup destinations, collectively contributing a larger share of new job creation. The report also noted that nearly 12% of newly launched startups are now choosing to establish operations in Tier-2 markets.
Hyderabad Sees Startup Hiring Double
Among major cities, Hyderabad recorded one of the sharpest increases in startup hiring.
Its share of startup jobs doubled from 5% in April 2024 to 10% in April 2026, reflecting the city’s expanding role in India’s startup and technology ecosystem.
Startup Hiring Becoming More Skill-Focused
The report stated that startup recruitment trends are shifting away from aggressive volume hiring towards a more specialised and productivity-driven approach.
Startup jobs grew from 1,16,080 in April 2025 to 1,30,010 in April 2026, adding nearly 14,000 new jobs over the year. Overall startup hiring is projected to grow 12% year-on-year in 2026. At the same time, fresher hiring has declined from 41% to 36%, while mid-level professionals now make up nearly half of all startup hires.
AI, SaaS And Fintech Continue To Lead Hiring
The report identified fintech, healthtech, SaaS and electric mobility as the strongest hiring sectors within the startup ecosystem.
AI-focused startups emerged as the fastest-growing hiring cluster, reflecting increasing demand for specialised technology talent.
Across industries, IT software and services continued to dominate startup hiring, accounting for 34% of all startup jobs.
Within this segment, AI and data-related roles now make up nearly one-third of all IT hiring by startups, indicating a shift from traditional software development towards intelligence-led product building.
The BFSI sector accounted for 12% of startup jobs, driven by innovation in digital payments, embedded finance and wealth technology.
Healthcare also recorded steady growth, with its share rising from 6% in April 2024 to 11% in April 2026.
Experienced Professionals In Greater Demand
According to the report, startups are increasingly favouring experienced professionals over entry-level hiring.
The share of professionals with four to six years of experience rose to 31% in April 2026, up from 28% a year earlier. Similarly, hiring for professionals with seven to 10 years of experience increased from 15% in April 2025 to 17% in 2026.
Tarun Sinha said India’s startup hiring ecosystem is entering a more mature phase. He noted that startups are no longer hiring only to scale rapidly, but are focusing more on productivity, specialised skills and long-term business impact.
According to him, the rise of AI-led roles, growing participation from Tier-2 cities and increasing demand for experienced professionals indicate that the ecosystem is becoming more distributed and capability-driven.
Most Startup Jobs Fall Within Mid-Level Salary Bracket
The report also highlighted changing salary patterns within startup hiring. Nearly 70% of startup openings are concentrated in the Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per annum salary bracket, showing strong demand for mid-level professionals with execution-focused skills.
Higher-paying roles offering Rs 15 lakh and above account for around 12% of hiring, largely driven by demand for expertise in AI, data science, product management, business strategy and technology leadership.
Meanwhile, entry-level jobs offering below Rs 3 lakh annually are gradually losing importance as startups increasingly prioritise specialised and higher-skilled talent.
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