Maharashtra leads states with 13,541 govt-recognised startups: DPIIT data

Total number of approved startups at 73,205; Maharashtra's share is 18%

Maharashtra has the maximum number of government-recognised startups, followed by states such as Karnataka and Delhi, data shared by the industry department showed.

As many as 13,541 active Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recognised startups were from Maharashtra, out of the total 73,205 such government-approved new age companies in the country. This meansm Maharashtra has a share of 18 per cent with respect to the total number of startups.

Karnataka has 8,902 startups and Delhi is home to 8,670 enterprises as of July 5.

These startups have created more than 750,000 jobs with an average of 11 jobs per enterprise, the data  showed.

Shruti Singh, joint secretary, DPIIT, said several startups are mushrooming  in tier-2 and 3 cities. “Fifty  per cent of startups are from small towns. Over 45 per cent have at least one‐woman director,” Singh told reporters.

A look into the sector-wise data shows India has maximum startups in IT services (9,041), followed by healthcare & life sciences and education at 6,839, and 4,848, respectively.

Singh added that the government’s Startup India programme provides a host of benefits to DPIIT-recognised enterprises that are instrumental in providing them the required support.

She said that under the government's Fund of Funds scheme, over Rs 7,300 crore has been committed to 86 alternative investment funds (AIFs). This has seen over Rs 9,500 crore being invested in about 600 startups.

Similarly, Rs 365.75 crore has been disbursed to 99 incubators and Rs 76 crore approved for 436 startups under the Startup India Seed Fund. The government had launched the Seed Fund Scheme last year for new-age firms to ensure adequate availability of funds, especially for startups with good ideas across fields. It aims to offer financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialisation. The total corpus for providing seed funding to eligible startups via incubators is 945 crore.

Singh added that a platform is being developed to connect startups and domestic investors. The portal Sidbi is developing towards this end should be ready in two months. She also said that the ministry of corporate affairs is working on corporate governance norms for startups.