New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa ranked as the 'best performers' in developing a startup ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs, according to the ranking of states and Union territories
by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade released on Friday.
Gujarat has been ranked as the best performer for the fifth time in a row.
Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh are categorised as the top performers.
The ranking is a yearly exercise under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) that evaluates all states and Union territories on their efforts to build an ecosystem conducive to startup growth.
A total of 34 states and Union territories (UTs) participated in the exercise. They are ranked under five categories -- best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders and emerging startup ecosystems.
The states and Union Territories were broadly divided into two sections based on their population size -- those having more than 1 crore and those with less than 1 crore.
The exercise is aimed at supporting states and Union territories (UTs) in developing their startup ecosystem and learning from each other's best practices.
"By encouraging both healthy competition and collaboration among state governments, the framework supports the development of strong, well-functioning startup ecosystems across the country," the department said in a statement.
Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Nagaland are categorised as leaders.
Similarly, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura were ranked as 'aspiring leaders'.
States and UTs under 'the emerging startup ecosystems' category include Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
States and Union Territories are evaluated across six reform areas and nineteen clearly defined action points, covering policy and institutional support, physical and digital infrastructure, access to funding, market access and linkages, capacity building for entrepreneurs and ecosystem stakeholders, and innovation-led growth.
Addressing the Startup India event here, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that when the initiative was launched in 2016, there were only about 400 startups in the country.
"Today, the movement has expanded significantly, with over two lakh startups registered with the DPIIT," he said, adding that these startups have generated an estimated 21 lakh jobs across the country.
The minister noted that startups are currently active in over 50 sectors, including Deep Tech, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Quantum Computing, Agri-Tech, Space Tech, Drone Technology, Aerospace, and Rocket Technology.
In southern India, he said, Andhra Pradesh is emerging as the drone capital of the country, while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have become hubs for deep tech and AI startups.
During foreign delegations and Free Trade Agreement negotiations, he said, several countries have expressed keen interest in establishing startup bridges with India.
He estimated that nearly 100 countries are seeking to collaborate with India's startup ecosystem through inter-startup coordination platforms.
The FTAs with developed economies provide significant opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs, he added.
These pacts create certainty and confidence for investors while opening new markets for Indian goods and services.
Goyal encouraged startups to explore startup-to-startup collaborations and partnerships with foreign countries to attract investment and expand globally, highlighting opportunities across services, mobility, payments, sustainability, renewable energy and advanced technologies. PTI RR RR BAL
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