Haryana Becomes 7th Largest State in India for Startups

Chandigarh : Haryana has made significant strides in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship, emerging as the seventh-largest state in India in terms of the number of startups recognized with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

With over 8,800 DPIIT-recognised startups, the state reflects a vibrant and growing startup ecosystem that is contributing to economic diversification and job creation.

A particularly encouraging aspect of this growth is the strong presence of women entrepreneurs—more than 45 percent of the startups in Haryana are led by women.

This was revealed during a review meeting of the State Startup Ecosystem and Incubator Schemes held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi here today. The high percentage of women-led startups indicates Haryana’s increasing focus on inclusive development and gender equality in the innovation landscape.

Haryana's role in the country’s unicorn story is also remarkable. Out of the 117 unicorns in India, 19 have their origins in Haryana. This underlines the state’s robust business environment, easy access to skilled manpower, and growing investor interest.

These factors are positioning Haryana as a key contributor to the national economy through innovation-led growth. 

The state has also built a strong incubation infrastructure to support startups at various stages. More than 25 incubators have been established in government and private universities across the state.

Additionally, over 10 private-sector-run incubators and 10 government-supported incubators are currently operational, offering a wide range of services including mentorship, networking opportunities and infrastructural support. Moreover, several institutions have expressed interest in setting up new incubation centers, which will further strengthen the support system for early-stage startups.

"Our vision is to build a self-sustaining ecosystem where innovation thrives from the grassroots to a global scale," said Sh. Rastogi during the meeting. "By strengthening our incubators, we are not just funding companies; we are laying a durable foundation for the next generation of global enterprises to emerge from Haryana."

Commissioner and Secretary of Industries and Commerce, Sh. Amit Kumar Agrawal, informed that the State Government is now preparing to launch a new set of schemes under the Haryana State Startup Policy 2022. These schemes aim to provide comprehensive financial and infrastructural assistance to government-owned, government-supported, and private incubators.

The schemes include a capital subsidy covering 50 percent of the capital expenditure, up to Rs.2 crore for government host institutions and Rs.1 crore for private ones.

Financial assistance of up to Rs.4 crore will be available for the development of new Startup Warehouses or Innovation Campuses, with an additional Rs.1 crore per annum for three years to meet recurring operational expenses.

A similar support structure is planned for the creation of Mobile Application Development Centres.To further ease the operational burden, the schemes offer a 50 percent reimbursement on lease rent (up to Rs.5 lakh per year for three years) and a 100 percent reimbursement on stamp duty and registration charges.

Government-owned or supported incubators will also receive Rs.2.5 lakh annually for mentorship initiatives.Additionally, financial support of up to Rs.50 lakh per event will be provided for organising or participating in national and international exhibitions and startup fairs.

In order to promote innovation at the academic level, the government will provide up to Rs. 50 lakh to establish new incubation centres in government universities and institutions, along with Rs.20 lakh per year for five years to cover recurring expenses.

All the scheme guidelines for the Incubators have been approved during the meeting.

These strategic interventions are expected to significantly boost Haryana’s position as a startup hub and create a nurturing environment for future entrepreneurs.

Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Forests & Wildlife Department , Sh. Anand Mohan Sharan, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Haryana , Sh. Arun Kumar Gupta, Director General Industries & Commerce, Sh. Dusmanta Kumar Behera, Chief Technology Officer Industries & Commerce ,Sh. Nitin Bansal & other senior officers were present during the meeting.

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