New Delhi [India], January 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the country's youth are no longer willing to live in a comfort zone and are eager to chart their own paths and noted that India's startup ecosystem continues to witness rapid growth.
Addressing the programme marking a decade of the Startup India initiative at Bharat Mandapam here, he said India's youth are focused on solving real problems.
He said in just 10 years, the Startup India Mission has become a revolution and today, India is the world's third-largest startup ecosystem.
The Prime Minister said that Startup India is not just a scheme, it is a rainbow vision connecting diverse sectors with new opportunities. He said the courage, confidence and innovation of startups are shaping India's future.
"The youth of my country are not willing to live their lives in a comfort zone anymore. They are not content with following the same old beaten path. They want to forge their own paths because they aspire to new destinations, new heights. Previously, risk-taking was discouraged in the country. But today, risk-taking has become mainstream. Those who think beyond a monthly salary are now not only accepted but also respected," PM Modi said.
Highlighting women's contribution to Startup India's success, Prime Minister Modi said that over 45 per cent of Indian startups have at least one woman director or founder.
He noted that women have played a major role in transforming India's startup ecosystem. "Daughters of the country have played a major role in this transformation," he added.
He noted that India has become the world's second-largest ecosystem for women-led startup funding, underscoring that this inclusive momentum is strengthening the country's potential.
He pointed out that ten years ago, there were fewer than 500 startups in the country, while today the number has risen to more than two lakh.
Prime Minister Modi noted that in 2014, India had only four unicorns, whereas today there are nearly 125 active unicorns, and the world is watching this success story with amazement.
He noted that the momentum of Startup India continues to accelerate, with startups turning into unicorns, launching IPOs, and creating more employment opportunities.
The Prime Minister stated that in 2025 alone, nearly 44,000 new startups were registered, the highest increase in any single year since the launch of Startup India, adding that these figures testify to how Indian startups are driving employment, innovation, and economic growth.