A lot is said about how India doesn’t have a place for innovation, research and new generation technology. However, much of this is proving to be generalisation as in the recent past India’s startup saga has seen a dramatic twist with the launch of Startup Mahakumbh, a grand festival that sees thousands of dreamers, innovators, and investors converge in one place.
The magnitude of this event is really amazing. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)-organized Startup Mahakumbh 2025 saw participation of 3,000 startups – twice the number of its inaugural edition in 2024. More than 1,000 investors and 10,000 international delegates joined, along with 50,000 visitors, making it an unprecedented platform for interaction and development.
Government’s vision and commitment
The efforts of the central government to develop India’s startup culture have been visionary and pragmatic. Union Minister Piyush Goyal marked India’s thriving startup culture with the declaration of approx. $1.17 billion Second Fund of Funds for Startups and the launch of a new Startup India Desk. This capital infusion is not simply money – it’s an assurance of converting innovative thoughts into thriving companies.
Minister Goyal has been a force to reckon with when it comes to identifying and rewarding excellence in the startup ecosystem. During Startup Mahakumbh 2025, he honored the highly coveted ‘Startup Maharathi’ Awards, recognizing entrepreneurs who are breaking boundaries and building solutions that impact. In addition, the government also organises the National Startup Awards every year, recognizing and rewarding exceptional startups and ecosystem enablers developing innovative products or solutions and scalable businesses.
Stories that inspire: The heavy lifters
Among the innovation leaders recognized are aceautocracy, a National Startup Award winner that has been making waves with its great work. As Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal pointed out in his recent social media update, “For those who dare to dream. aceautocracy is proving the world that Indian startups can do the heavy lifting with ease.”
Though definite information regarding founders Santoshi Sushma and Laxman Valakati wasn’t entirely apparent in search results, their company embodies the new age of Indian entrepreneurs who are making a difference in the real world with innovative technology.
Firms such as aceautocracy are engaged in robotics and automation – industries that are revolutionizing the way India does business. These are not technology experiments; they are workable solutions that have the potential to transform industries, from manufacturing to logistics, and make Indian businesses efficient and competitive globally.
The ecosystem: More than government support
While government efforts such as Startup India (initiated in 2016) set the stage, the magic is possible due to the entire ecosystem. The event is organized by industry players such as FICCI, ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, TiE, IVCA, and Bootstrap Foundation, with participation by DPIIT, and partners such as GeM, SIDBI and ECGC. The collaboration demonstrates that India’s startup success is not a one-person show.
Billions have been invested in promising businesses by private sector investors. Incubators and accelerators offer guidance and support. Solo entrepreneurs risk everything to pursue their passion. Tech experts open their books to share their knowledge. All these factors put together create a situation where innovation flourishes. The Startup Mahakumbh theme, “Startup India @ 2047 – Unfolding the Bharat Story,” is looking at the centenary of India’s independence, seeing a future where Indian startups dominate the world.
India’s startup revolution is not about unicorns or billion-dollar valuations. It’s about normal humans with out-of-the-world ideas being given an opportunity to turn them into reality. From policy support from the government to investment from private players, from incubators that are world-class to fearless entrepreneurs – all of these fit into the jigsaw puzzle. As aceautocracy and thousands of other startups demonstrate every day, with ambition and opportunity, Indian innovation can definitely do the heavy lifting, turning not only businesses, but the future of the entire country.
