Bengaluru Tops Entrepreneurial Residences in India as Mumbai and Gurugram Show Rising Trends

New Delhi | Dec 17, 2025 Bengaluru continues to hold its position as the leading city for entrepreneur residences in India, hosting 88 founders, according to the latest 2025 report released by IDFC FIRST Private Banking and Hurun India. Following closely are Mumbai with 83 founders and Gurugram with 32, highlighting a gradual redistribution of self-made entrepreneurs across the country. While Bengaluru remains the dominant hub, the growing presence of entrepreneurs in Mumbai and Gurugram points to an increasingly diversified landscape for startups and business leaders in India. The city also remains India’s top startup hub, although the number of registered companies has seen a slight decline. Bengaluru is home to 52 startups, down by 14 from last year, while Mumbai has 41 companies, marking an increase of five, and Gurugram hosts 36 companies, also up by five. This pattern mirrors the trend in founder residences, suggesting that entrepreneurial activity is spreading beyond traditional hotspots and creating opportunities in emerging urban centers. Several notable founders are based in Bengaluru, including Sriharsha Majety and Nandan Reddy of Swiggy, reflecting the city’s continuing appeal to innovative minds. In Mumbai, prominent entrepreneurs like Radhakishan Damani of Avenue Supermarts lead the charge, while Gurugram is represented by Deepinder Goyal of Eternal. Other cities in the top 10 for entrepreneur residences include Chennai with 15 founders, Pune 13, Hyderabad 12, Kolkata 10, Ahmedabad 9, and Jaipur 7. The distribution of startups also shows a similar spread. Bengaluru leads with 52 ventures, followed by Mumbai with 41 and Gurugram with 36. Chennai hosts 11 companies, New Delhi 10, Hyderabad and Pune 8 each, Noida 7, Ahmedabad 5, and Jaipur and Kolkata 4 each. These numbers suggest that entrepreneurial success is no longer concentrated in just one or two cities, but is gradually expanding to other regions, providing a more dynamic business ecosystem across India. Education continues to play a key role in shaping entrepreneurial success. Among undergraduates, IIT Delhi tops the list with 38 founders, followed by the University of Delhi with 24 and IIT Kharagpur with 21. For postgraduates, IIM Ahmedabad leads with 21 founders, followed by IIM Calcutta with 12 and ISB with 11. These institutions continue to nurture the skills and mindset required to drive India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem forward. Women entrepreneurs are increasingly making their mark in India’s startup landscape. Falguni Nayar and Adwaita Nayar of Nykaa are at the forefront, with a company valuation of ₹67,500 crore, highlighting the growing influence and leadership of women in business. Their success demonstrates that female entrepreneurs are playing a significant role in shaping India’s economic future and inspiring the next generation of innovators. Overall, Bengaluru’s dominance in both founder residences and startups underscores its continued appeal as a hub for entrepreneurship. However, the rise of Mumbai and Gurugram, along with contributions from other cities, indicates a more diversified and resilient entrepreneurial environment in India. With founders and startups increasingly spread across multiple regions, India’s startup ecosystem in 2025 appears vibrant, dynamic, and full of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. The report reflects not only where entrepreneurs live and work, but also the broader trends in India’s evolving startup culture, showing that success is increasingly accessible beyond traditional strongholds. As cities like Mumbai and Gurugram gain momentum, the future of entrepreneurship in India looks more inclusive and geographically balanced, offering new pathways for innovation, growth, and leadership. This distribution of founders, startups, and educational influence collectively highlights the changing entrepreneurial map of India, with Bengaluru retaining its leadership but other cities steadily emerging as important players in shaping the country’s business future. Bengaluru Tops Entrepreneurial Residences in India as Mumbai and Gurugram Show Rising Trends Bengaluru continues to lead as India’s top city for entrepreneur residences, hosting 88 founders, according to the 2025 report by IDFC FIRST Private Banking and Hurun India. Mumbai follows with 83 founders, and Gurugram has 32, showing a slow but steady shift of entrepreneurs across the country. While Bengaluru remains the main hub, the growing presence of founders in Mumbai and Gurugram highlights India’s increasingly dynamic startup scene. The city also remains India’s leading startup hub with 52 companies, though this is slightly down from last year. Mumbai has 41 startups, up by five, and Gurugram has 36, also up by five. This shows that new business activity is expanding beyond traditional centers, creating opportunities in emerging cities as well. Bengaluru is home to founders like Sriharsha Majety and Nandan Reddy of Swiggy, while Mumbai is represented by Radhakishan Damani of Avenue Supermarts, and Gurugram counts Deepinder Goyal of Eternal. Other cities making the top 10 include Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur, showing that entrepreneurial success is spreading across India. Education plays a key role too. Among undergraduates, IIT Delhi, University of Delhi, and IIT Kharagpur lead in producing founders, while IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, and ISB top the postgrad list. Women entrepreneurs are making their mark as well, with Falguni Nayar and Adwaita Nayar of Nykaa standing out with a valuation of ₹67,500 crore, showing the rising influence of women in India’s startup ecosystem. Overall, Bengaluru remains the heart of entrepreneurship, but Mumbai, Gurugram, and other cities are catching up, making India’s entrepreneurial landscape more diverse and exciting than ever.