**Decade of ‘Startup India’: PM Modi Celebrates 10 Years of Innovation as Ecosystem Hits 2 Lakh Mark**
Published: 2026-01-18 06:50 IST | Category: General News | Author: Abhi
On January 16, 2026, India observed National Startup Day, a milestone that carries extra weight this year as it marks exactly one decade since the launch of the flagship "Startup India" initiative. Addressing a massive gathering of founders and investors at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the transformation of the Indian economy from a "job-seeker" culture to a "job-creator" powerhouse.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the ecosystem, which began with just a handful of startups in 2014, has now matured into the world’s third-largest, with over 2 lakh DPIIT-recognized ventures and more than 125 active unicorns.
The Rise of the ‘Retail Bot’ Culture Beyond the macro policy shifts, a significant micro-trend has taken hold of the Indian financial landscape: the democratization of market access through automation. For millions of young Indian retail investors, the simple “/start” command on Telegram-based trading bots has become the primary gateway to the markets. These bots, which provide real-time stock alerts, crypto price signals, and automated portfolio tracking, have seen a surge in adoption as investors seek to navigate the heightened volatility seen in the opening weeks of 2026.
Industry experts note that this "digital-first" approach is not just a convenience but a necessity. With the Sensex and Nifty experiencing their most volatile start to a year in a decade, retail participants are moving away from manual tracking toward algorithmic assistants that trigger at the touch of a button.
Key Achievements of the Decade:
- Regional Inclusivity: Nearly 50% of all recognized startups now emerge from Tier II and Tier III cities, signaling a shift away from the traditional hubs of Bengaluru and Mumbai.
- Women in Leadership: Over 45% of recognized startups in India now feature at least one female director or partner.
- Sectoral Deepening: The focus has shifted from consumer internet to deep-tech, defense, and sustainability, with over 1,000 defense startups currently operational.
Funding Momentum Returns Despite global headwinds, the Indian startup funding scene showed signs of renewed vigor in mid-January. Cumulative funding for the second week of the month reached approximately $268.6 million across 28 deals, a nearly 300% jump from the previous week.
Notable Funding Rounds in January 2026:
- Emversity: The higher-education platform raised $30 million in Series A funding led by Premji Invest to scale its campus presence.
- Dazzl: An on-demand wellness platform secured $3.2 million to expand its hyperlocal operations in Bengaluru.
- Roadgrid: The EV charging infrastructure startup raised ₹12 crore in a pre-Series A round to bolster its public charging network.
Market Outlook and Investor Sentiment As the third-quarter (Q3) earnings season for FY26 kicks off, the Indian markets remain in a "cautious but stock-specific" mode. While the Sensex suffered a rough opening stretch in early January—falling nearly 2% in the first ten days—recent sessions have seen a recovery led by IT majors like Infosys and TCS.
Analysts at HDFC Securities have advised investors to focus on "SIP stocks" with strong fundamentals to ride out the volatility. The consensus among financial experts is that while the era of "growth at any cost" has ended, the new chapter of the Indian startup story will be defined by "durability and depth," as founders build for the long-term vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.