Key Highlights:
- Total Startup Funding: Over ₹40,000 crore allocated in 2025
- Recognized Startups: 1.59 lakh+ registered startups
- Job Creation: 16.6 lakh+ jobs generated across sectors
- Unicorns: 100+ Indian unicorns worth over ₹30 lakh crore
- Focus Areas: Deep-tech, agritech, green energy, defense, digital economy, women entrepreneurship
- Goal: Making India a global startup hub by 2030
In 2025, the Narendra Modi government launched an ambitious series of initiatives to fuel India’s startup ecosystem, with over ₹40,000 crore in allocated funding. With simplified compliance, single-window clearances, and a strong focus on deep-tech, clean energy, agritech, and defense innovation, India is rapidly becoming a global startup hub. These government schemes not only provide access to funding but also create jobs, boost entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas, and help Indian startups compete internationally.
Here’s a complete guide to the top 20 startup grants, schemes, and initiatives in India (2025), including their budgets and impact.
- Startup India 3.0 & Seed Fund 2.0 – Simplified Funding for Early-Stage Startups
Budget: ₹1,000 crore
The revamped Startup India 3.0 program simplifies registration, compliance, and funding under a single-window platform. The Seed Fund 2.0 offers:
- Up to ₹50 lakh for idea-stage startups
- Up to ₹2 crore for scaling and pilot projects
This scheme targets climate-tech, healthcare, agritech, and deep-tech startups, helping founders move quickly from concept to commercialization.
- Fund of Funds Expansion for Startups – Boosting Growth-Stage Ventures
Budget: ₹20,000 crore
This mega-fund invests in Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) that support growth-stage startups. The expanded budget focuses on AI, blockchain, clean energy, and robotics, positioning India as a global innovation leader.
- National Startup Credit Scheme – Collateral-Free Business Loans
Budget: ₹5,000 crore
This scheme enables startups to access loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹5 crore without collateral. Women entrepreneurs and founders from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities receive additional interest subsidies, promoting inclusive entrepreneurship.
- India Digital Startup Mission (IDSM) – Driving India’s Digital Economy
Budget: ₹2,000 crore
The IDSM focuses on AI, SaaS, blockchain, and cybersecurity startups. It offers subsidized cloud services and digital training programs, empowering startups to scale their digital operations efficiently.
- SpaceTech Funding Revolution – Powering India’s Space Startups
Budget: ₹1,500 crore
- ₹1,000 crore Venture Capital Fund
- ₹500 crore Technology Adoption Fund
Through IN-SPACe, this scheme supports private space startups, targeting five space-tech unicorns in five years and over 50 rocket launches annually.
- Startup India District Connect Program – Expanding Beyond Metros
Budget: ₹500 crore
Designed to democratize entrepreneurship, this initiative connects startups with mentors and investors at the district level, fostering innovation in smaller towns.
- Women & Youth Innovation Fund – Empowering New-Age Entrepreneurs
Budget: ₹1,200 crore
A scheme that provides seed funding, mentorship, and market access to women founders and young entrepreneurs, encouraging a more inclusive startup ecosystem.
- Green Startup Accelerator – Supporting Eco-Friendly Businesses
Budget: ₹800 crore
This accelerator promotes startups working on renewable energy, sustainable manufacturing, and green tech, giving them access to global investors and R&D networks.
- Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) – Financial Security for Founders
Budget: ₹3,000 crore
CGSS guarantees collateral-free loans for startups. As of 2025, it has supported ₹600 crore worth of loans, with a large share going to women-owned ventures.
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) – Innovation from Schools to Startups
Budget: ₹1,700 crore
This flagship program includes:
- Atal Tinkering Labs in 10,000 schools for robotics and AI training
- Atal Incubation Centres supporting over 3,500 startups
AIM has created 32,000+ jobs, strengthening grassroots innovation.
- BHASKAR Collaboration Platform – Connecting Startups and Investors
Budget: ₹300 crore
A digital networking hub that connects founders, mentors, and policymakers, helping startups get faster funding and mentorship opportunities.
- Bharat Startup Grand Challenge – Encouraging Priority Sector Startups
Budget: ₹250 crore
This national competition focuses on startups in defense, renewable energy, manufacturing, and agritech, offering winners global exposure and funding opportunities.
- Support Initiatives for Women-Led Startups – Driving Diversity
Budget: ₹3,100 crore
With 73,000+ women-led startups registered in India, this scheme channels heavy investment into empowering female founders and creating a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Green Technology Research Grants – Funding Clean Innovation
Budget: ₹1,000 crore
Dedicated to climate-resilient agriculture, renewable energy storage, and EV tech, this grant accelerates India’s shift to sustainable innovation.
- AI & Emerging Tech Grants – Strengthening Deep-Tech Leadership
Budget: ₹1,500 crore
Funding is provided to startups in quantum computing, AI, and edge computing while offering research partnerships for scaling globally.
- Defence Innovation Fund – Strengthening India’s Defense Tech
Budget: ₹1,200 crore
This scheme invests in startups building cybersecurity platforms, indigenous defense equipment, and military-grade technology, promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat in defense.
- BioTech & MedTech Accelerator – Innovating for Affordable Healthcare
Budget: ₹900 crore
This program supports healthtech, telemedicine, and biotech startups, positioning India as a leader in affordable medical solutions.
- MSME-Startup Collaboration Scheme – Building Stronger Partnerships
Budget: ₹600 crore
The scheme connects startups with MSMEs to drive innovation, supply chain growth, and product co-development in India.
- International Market Fund & Export Preparedness – Going Global
Budget: ₹700 crore
This program prepares startups for global competition by offering market research, trade fair subsidies, and regulatory guidance.
- Rural Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program – Empowering Rural Youth
Budget: ₹400 crore
Focused on rural India, this scheme funds agritech, rural manufacturing, and e-commerce startups, helping rural communities build scalable ventures.
India’s Startup Ecosystem: Impact at a Glance
By 2025, India has established itself as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, with 1.59 lakh+ recognized startups. These startups have created over 16.6 lakh jobs, transforming industries from fintech and healthtech to agritech and clean energy. India now boasts 100+ unicorns worth ₹30 lakh crore, highlighting the country’s ability to compete globally in innovation.
Future Outlook: India’s Startup Vision for 2030 and Beyond
With Modi government schemes focused on deep-tech, climate innovation, defense manufacturing, and inclusion, India is on track to become a global startup powerhouse by 2030. The government’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 places startups at the heart of economic transformation, making entrepreneurship accessible to every Indian with a dream.