Under a government initiative, Maharashtra ranked first in having the maximum number of recognised start-ups, said experts at a joint press conference held at Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA).In 2016, the government’s Startup India initiative accelerated the emergence of start-ups along with employment generation and wealth creation. Recently, the government has set up a fund for infusing Rs 100 billion to invest in Indian start-ups with 21,548 start-ups being declared as recognised under the Startup India initiative.
Of these, Maharashtra ranked first followed by Karnataka as the two states to have the maximum number of recognised start-ups, said experts at a joint press conference held at Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) while speaking on how the ecosystem for start-ups has become favourable in Mumbai and Pune.
Noted personalities from TiE, Venture Centre, Bhau Institute and other stakeholders, who contribute to incubation support and start-up mentoring in the city, also addressed the conference stressing on factors that will improve the start-up environment in the city.
Prashant Girbane, director general, MCCIA, said, “TiE, Venture Centre, Bhau Institute, AutoCluster, Pune International Centre’s Social Innovation Lab and Alacrity are some of the key constituents of Pune’s vibrant start-up ecosystem. These institutions have together contributed to the growth of start-ups, not only in IT (information technology), ITES (information technology enabled services) and e-commerce but also in biotech, agritech, autotech, manufacturing and social enterprises. This is Pune’s contribution to more than 8,000 registered start-ups in Maharashtra, taking the state to the top most rank in the country.”
Kiran Deshpande, president, TiE, said, “Given the diverse educational and professional base of the city, we see start-ups from diverse backgrounds in Pune. We have witnessed a massive input from food and tourism sectors. Having said so, start-ups need help. Many companies are not even aware of the nomenclature of the process. Hence, we have come up with masterclasses with collective expertise from different start-ups to strengthen the existing ecosystem.”
“Those who plan to begin their start-up need to adhere to several aspects such as minimum viable product (MVP), minimum customer traction among others. It is essential to cross that threshold which can only come by proper mentoring,” said Vishwas Mahajan, director, MCCAI.
