MP sets ambitious target; increase startups from 6,500 to 10,000 in 18 months

Bhopal, Jan 12 Bhopal witnessed a bold declaration of intent at the Madhya Pradesh Startup Summit and Ecosystem Awards 2026, held at Ravindra Bhavan.

Madhya Pradesh has announced its ambitious plan to expand its startup base from the current 6,500 to 10,000 within the next year-and-a-half, underscoring its growing role in India's dynamic entrepreneurial landscape.

Principal Secretary (Industry) of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), Raghvendra Kumar Singh, highlighted that the summit was not merely a review of past achievements but a platform to align policy, administration, and entrepreneurship for future growth.

He noted India's position as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with nearly 159,000 Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade-registered startups, more than 100 unicorns, and 16 lakh direct jobs.

Madhya Pradesh, he emphasised, is already outperforming national averages, with nearly 3,100 women-led ventures, and is determined to scale up further under the Madhya Pradesh Startup Policy, 2025.

The Madhya Pradesh Startup Policy, 2025, offers robust financial and infrastructural support, including a Rs 100 crore seed capital fund, grants up to Rs 30 lakh, interest subsidies, and subsistence allowances.

Women-led startups account for 47 per cent of the state's ecosystem -- three times the national average -- while inclusive measures extend to SC/ST entrepreneurs, incubation support, and digital infrastructure.

"These grants are not charity but smart economic initiatives for entrepreneurial mainstreaming," Singh remarked, citing successful ventures in districts like Narmadapuram, Vidisha, and Harda.

While Chief Minister Mohan Yadav underscored India's legacy of innovation, recalling the pioneering work of Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose in plant sensitivity, microwaves, and semiconductors.

He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives in fostering research and entrepreneurship, including programmes launched from Indore in 2022.

Showcasing local innovation, Chief Minister Yadav highlighted a startup developing a low-cost machine capable of harvesting one acre of crops for just Rs 10 in an hour, addressing agricultural and environmental challenges.

"India, now the fourth-largest economy, will soon rise to third and eventually first," the Chief Minister declared confidently.

The summit reaffirmed Madhya Pradesh's position as a leading state in India's startup rankings, with a vision to drive inclusive, future-ready growth and strengthen India's march toward becoming a global economic leader.

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