Delhi Launches Startup Yuva Festival 2026 to Encourage Student-Led Innovation and Entrepreneurship

New Delhi, January 9, 2026 The Delhi government on Friday launched the Startup Yuva Festival 2026, aiming to inspire students to take the lead in innovation and entrepreneurship. The event was held at Netaji Subhas University of Technology, where Education Minister Ashish Sood called upon students to move beyond classrooms and turn their ideas into real-world solutions. Addressing students, faculty members, mentors, and industry representatives, Sood said universities today are no longer limited to teaching alone. He noted that campuses are increasingly becoming centres of innovation, where young minds can experiment, build, and launch ideas that have the potential to succeed in the market. The main objective of the Startup Yuva Festival, he said, is to bridge the gap between academic ideas and business opportunities. The minister highlighted how India’s startup ecosystem has grown rapidly over the past decade. He said that before 2014, India had a limited presence in the global startup space. However, policy reforms and government support have helped the sector expand at a fast pace. Today, India is home to nearly 125 unicorns and over 1.97 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), making it the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Sood also pointed to the strong participation of women in entrepreneurship. He said that nearly 45 per cent of startups in India are led by women, describing entrepreneurship as a powerful tool for social and economic change. According to him, women-led startups have played a key role in job creation, community development, and promoting inclusive growth. Speaking about Delhi’s vision, the minister said the government, under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is working to position the national capital as a hub for student-driven innovation. He added that the Startup Yuva Festival is planned as a long-term initiative and will be developed into an annual platform. The festival will bring together educational institutions, investors, mentors, and industry leaders to support young entrepreneurs and create stronger networks. Sharing figures from ongoing initiatives, Sood said more than 75,000 students are currently enrolled in entrepreneurship programmes supported by the Delhi government. These programmes are growing at an annual rate of about 30 per cent, reflecting rising interest among students in building startups. At present, over 470 startups are being incubated across sectors such as healthcare, sustainability, manufacturing, and technology. The minister said early-stage startups supported under these programmes are already making an impact. Many of them are generating four to five jobs within their first year of operation, contributing to employment creation at the local level. Sood also announced that the Delhi government is preparing the Delhi Startup Policy 2025, which is expected to be placed before the cabinet soon. The proposed policy will have an outlay of ₹325 crore spread over five years. Its aim is to support around 5,000 startups by the year 2035 and strengthen the overall startup ecosystem in the capital. As part of the policy, the government plans to set up a Delhi Student Seed Fund to support young entrepreneurs at an early stage. Under this initiative, six selected startups will receive equity-free seed grants of ₹10 lakh each. In addition, 100 student startups will be awarded ₹1 lakh each to help them develop their ideas and take the first steps toward market entry. Concluding his address, the minister urged students to focus on meaningful innovation rather than playing it safe. He encouraged them to take risks, experiment with ideas, and believe that successful businesses can emerge not only from labs and classrooms, but also from university hostels and shared campus spaces. He said the government stands ready to support students who are willing to turn ideas into impactful enterprises. Delhi Launches Startup Yuva Festival 2026 to Encourage Student-Led Innovation and Entrepreneurship The Delhi government has launched the Startup Yuva Festival 2026 with a clear message for students — ideas on campus should not stay on paper. The event was held at Netaji Subhas University of Technology, where Education Minister Ashish Sood said students are the real drivers of innovation and can turn universities into strong startup hubs. The festival aims to connect classrooms with markets by helping students convert their ideas into real products and businesses. Highlighting India’s growth in the startup space, Sood said the country has come a long way in the last decade and is now the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with nearly 125 unicorns and over 1.97 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups. He also pointed out that around 45% of Indian startups are led by women, calling entrepreneurship a powerful tool for social and economic change. The Delhi government, under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, wants to position the capital as a centre for student-led innovation. More than 75,000 students are currently part of Delhi’s entrepreneurship programmes, with over 470 startups being incubated. A new Startup Policy with a ₹325 crore outlay is in the works, including seed funding for student startups.