Startup India
About Startup India
Startup India is the flagship initiative of the Government of India, launched on January
16, 2016, with the objective of building a strong and sustainable ecosystem for
nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup growth across the country. Managed
by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the initiative
aims to transform India from a nation of job seekers into a country of job creators by
empowering entrepreneurs through innovation, design, and regulatory support.
The program addresses critical aspects of the startup lifecycle, including regulatory
compliance, funding access, incubation support, intellectual property protection, and
connections between academia and industry
1. Ideakriti
About:
Ideakriti is a startup acceleration program designed by SACC India (Startup Accelerator
Chamber of Commerce) in collaboration with the Startup India ecosystem. The program
focuses on transforming early-stage startup ideas into viable business ventures through
structured mentorship, capacity building, and pitching opportunities.
Key Features:
● 5-day offline intensive program that provides hands-on training and mentorship
● Sessions cover idea validation, business planning, product strategy, customer
discovery, and pitch deck creation
● Participants get access to industry mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners
● Grand finale pitch competition where selected startups present to a jury panel
including angel investors and venture capitalists
● Winners receive incubation support, grants, and investment opportunities
● The program has been running successfully for multiple cohorts (currently
Ideakriti 6.0 as of 2024)
Geographic Focus:
Programs are conducted across multiple cities including Faridabad, Chandigarh, and
other emerging startup hubs to democratize access to entrepreneurship resources.
2. Saksham
About:
Saksham (currently in its 2.0 iteration) is a specialized accelerator program focused
exclusively on Assistive Technology (AT) startups. The program is dedicated to
supporting innovative solutions that improve accessibility and quality of life for people
with disabilities in India, addressing challenges in mobility, vision, hearing, speech, and
cognitive impairments.
Key Features:
● Non-dilutive grant of up to ₹5-10 lakh per company for product development and
scaling
● 12-week virtual and in-person mentorship program focusing on:
● Product strategy and go-to-market (GTM) planning
● Sales support for selling to corporates, NGOs, and direct customers
● Product and engineering technical assistance
● Regulatory compliance guidance
● Access to the assistive tech ecosystem for networking and partnerships
● Product testing opportunities with target user communities
● Connection to funding sources and investors through demo day presentations
● Access to experienced mentors and advisors specializing in social impact and
healthcare
Focus Areas:
Mobility assistance devices, education and learning support, employment accessibility,
communication aids, daily living assistance, sensory devices, cognitive tools, healthcare
monitoring, and social inclusion solutions.
3. Startup Weekend
About:
Startup Weekend (powered by Techstars) is a 54-hour intensive business-building
bootcamp where aspiring entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and innovators come
together to pitch ideas, form teams, and build minimum viable products (MVPs) in just
one weekend.
Key Features:
● Friday to Sunday format (5 PM Friday to 9 PM Sunday) with intense team
collaboration
● Open mic pitches on Friday evening where participants present ideas and form
teams
● Hands-on product building throughout Saturday and Sunday with mentor
guidance
● Expert mentorship from successful founders, investors, and industry leaders
across product development, marketing, technology, and business modeling
● Final pitch competition on Sunday evening where teams present to judges
● Winners receive prizes, mentorship opportunities, funding access, and potential
incubator placements
● Conducted simultaneously in multiple cities including Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi,
Chennai, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar, and Dhamtari
Learning Outcomes:
Participants gain practical experience in problem identification, ideation, product-market
fit, consumer feedback, AI tool usage, pitch deck building, and presenting to investors.
4. Startup Stars (Star Startup Scheme)
About:
The Star Startup Scheme is a financial assistance program offered by Bank of India
(BOI) to support technically qualified and experienced entrepreneurs in setting up new
manufacturing, services, or trading units.
Key Features:
● Bank funding support from Bank of India to eligible DPIIT-recognized startups
● Financial assistance for setting up new units across manufacturing, services, and
trading sectors
● Entities must not be formed by splitting or reconstructing existing businesses
● Eligibility for tax benefits after certification from the inter-ministerial board
● Startups cease to be eligible if turnover exceeds ₹25 crore or they complete 5
years from incorporation
5. Eco Pravah
About:
Eco Pravah is a climate-focused startup program and climate week initiative that brings
together innovators, investors, policymakers, and the entire climate action ecosystem to
drive sustainability and environmental innovation forward.
Key Features:
● Multi-day climate week event (typically 5 days, such as August 18-22, 2025)
conducted in major cities like Chandigarh and Tricity
● Connects innovators with investors, policymakers, corporates, and NGOs focused
on climate solutions
● Nurtures innovation through mentorship, capacity building, and ecosystem
collaboration
● Provides networking opportunities to facilitate partnerships and funding for
climate-focused ventures
● Supports sustainable growth through collaborative platforms and knowledge
sharing
● Campus partnerships with institutions like IIT Ropar, IISER, and NABI to promote
grassroots climate innovation
Focus:
Empowering ventures that drive climate action, carbon neutrality, and sustainable
development aligned with global environmental goals.
6. Fund Setu (Startup SETU)
About:
SETU (Supporting Entrepreneurs in Transformation and Upskilling) is a cross-border
mentorship and funding access program launched by the Government of India to
connect Indian startups with US-based investors and startup ecosystem leaders.
Key Features:
● Breaks geographical barriers between Indian startups and US-based mentors and
investors
● Provides mentorship, assistance, funding, and market access to Indian startups
for commercialization and scaling
● Integrated with the MAARG (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and
Growth) portal under Startup India
● Customized deal flow connecting the best Indian startups to US investors and
accelerators
● Encourages domestic incorporation while providing international exposure and
networks
● Over 200 global mentors onboarded on the MAARG platform to guide Indian
startups
Objective:
Transform India into a world-class startup destination by facilitating access to global
capital, expertise, and markets while retaining Indian incorporation and value creation.
7. Udyam Shakti
About:
Udyam Shakti (also known as Udyam Sakhi Portal) is a specialized initiative by the
Ministry of MSME aimed at promoting women entrepreneurship through digital
enablement, technical support, and business development assistance.
Key Features:
● Exclusive digital portal for women entrepreneurs providing essential technical
support and business resources
● Focuses on creating economical products and services and sustainable business
models
● Provides access to government schemes such as:
● Mahila Udyam Nidhi Yojana
● Dena Shakti Scheme
● Stree Shakti Package for Women Entrepreneurs
● Cent Kalyani Scheme
● Stand-Up India (loans between ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore)
● Capacity building through state-level workshops covering legalities, marketing,
branding, sales, customer acquisition, pitching, fundraising, and product
development
● Mock pitching sessions and connections to investors and incubators
● Over 1,400 women entrepreneurs have participated in capacity-building
workshops across 22 states
Importance:
Addresses India's low ranking in women entrepreneurship by empowering the
approximately 80 lakh women seeking self-sustenance and economic independence.
The portal helps women play a predominant role in strengthening the nation's economy
through SME creation
User Persona Mapping
Program Primary Persona Secondary Persona Jobs-to-be-Done
Early-stage founder (Tier 2/3 Validate idea, learn startup
Ideakriti Student entrepreneur
cities) fundamentals, access mentors
Impact-driven founder with AT Social entrepreneur with Scale assistive tech solution,
Saksham
product disability focus access specialized funding
Startup Career professional exploring College student Experience startup building,
Weekend entrepreneurship (technical/non-technical) network with ecosystem
Technically qualified Manufacturing/services Secure bank financing, legitimize
Startup Stars
entrepreneur startup founder startup credentials
Connect with climate investors,
Eco Pravah Climate tech innovator Green entrepreneur
policy advocacy
Access Silicon Valley
Growth-stage founder seeking Tech startup with global
Fund Setu mentors/investors, international
US market ambitions
expansion
Udyam Women entrepreneur (Tier First-time women business Build confidence, access capital,
Shakti 2/3) owner learn business fundamentals
4. User Journey Analysis
Discovery Phase:
Strength: Programs listed on Startup India portal
Weakness: Low discoverability for programs like Ideakriti and Eco Pravah outside their
host cities. No centralized comparison tool for users to evaluate which program fits
their stage.
Recommendation: Create a "Program Matcher" quiz on Startup India portal based on
startup stage, sector, geography, and founder demographics.
Application Phase:
Strength: Clear eligibility criteria for most programs
Weakness: Multiple application portals fragment user experience (SACC for Ideakriti,
separate portals for Saksham, Udyam Shakti).
Recommendation: Integrate applications into a unified Startup India dashboard with
saved progress and program recommendations.
Experience Phase:
Strength: Structured timelines (12 weeks for Saksham, 54 hours for Startup Weekend)
Weakness: Limited transparency on post-program outcomes and alumni success rates.
Recommendation: Publish cohort success metrics (funding raised, revenue growth, jobs
created) to build credibility and attract higher-quality applicants.
Post-Program Phase:
Strength: Demo days provide investor access across programs
Weakness: No structured alumni network or continued support visible across most
programs.
Recommendation: Build an alumni engagement platform with peer mentoring, job
boards, and investor updates.
5. Competitive Positioning
Program Unique Differentiator Competitive Threats
Y Combinator Startup School (free, online), other
Ideakriti Regional focus on Tier 2/3 cities
regional accelerators
Saksham Only assistive tech accelerator in India Limited—strong niche positioning
Startup
Techstars brand, experiential format Hackathons (shorter), online courses (cheaper)
Weekend
Startup Stars Bank of India funding partnership Other bank SME schemes, MUDRA loans
Eco Pravah Climate week ecosystem building Climate Collective, Unreasonable Impact
Exclusive US-India bridge with government Direct applications to US accelerators (Y Combinator,
Fund Setu
backing 500 Global)
Women-only, government-backed
Udyam Shakti Private women entrepreneur platforms
credibility
9. Risk Analysis
Risk Probabilit Impact Mitigation
Regional language marketing, college
Low awareness in Tier 2/3 High High
partnerships
Mediu
Program overlap causing confusion Medium Clear positioning, program matcher tool
m
Post-program dropout (no continued Alumni platform, follow-up funding
High High
support) rounds
Corporate partnerships, sustainability
Dependence on government funding Medium High
model
Quality dilution with scale Medium High Mentor certification, cohort size limits