India’s startup ecosystem added a record number of recognised ventures in FY26, with over 55,000 startups officially registered during the year, according to a recent government release. This marks the highest annual addition since the launch of the Startup India programme on January 16, 2016.

With this, the cumulative number of DPIIT-recognised startups has crossed 2.23 lakh across the country. These startups span across multiple industries, ranging from technology, healthcare, education to agritech and manufacturing, reflecting the broad-based expansion of entrepreneurial activity.

Since inception, these recognised startups have generated over 23.36 lakh direct jobs. More than 1.07 lakh startups have at least one woman director or partner, accounting for approximately 48% of all recognised startups, according to the release.

Geographically, startup growth is becoming more evenly distributed, with a presence across all states and union territories. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat have emerged as leading hubs in terms of recognised startups and direct employment generation as of March 31, 2026.

The Government continues to back startups through key schemes like the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS), offering support across different growth stages.

Under FFS, over Rs 7,000 crore has been deployed to 135+ AIFs by FY26, which have in turn invested Rs 26,900+ crore in more than 1,420 startups. Building on this, the government has also launched the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a Rs 10,000 crore corpus.

Startup-led innovation has also boosted intellectual property creation, with over 19,400 patent applications filed by startups. Patent filings rose from more than 2,850 in FY25 to over 4,480 in FY26.

Startups are also increasingly participating in public procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), which has emerged as a key demand channel for them. According to the release, startups on GeM have secured cumulative orders worth over Rs 19,000 crore in FY26.