Delhi Startup & Incubation Policy 2026: CM Rekha Gupta Holds Roundtable with Entrepreneurs, Investors
New Delhi, September 6, 2026: Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta on Sunday participated in a special roundtable meeting with leading startup founders, industrialists, investors and entrepreneurship experts to discuss the effective implementation of the Delhi Startup & Incubation Policy, 2026.
The meeting was organised by the Department of Training & Technical Education, Government of Delhi, in collaboration with Youth for Governance, at The Lalit, New Delhi.
The interaction focused on gathering direct inputs from the startup and industry community to strengthen Delhi’s startup ecosystem and make the policy more effective, dynamic and outcome-oriented.
Under the policy, the Delhi Government aims to support more than 10,000 startups and generate over 4 lakh employment opportunities for the youth. The meeting also discussed the proposed financial support of more than ₹400 crore, including a proposed fund of ₹407.5 crore.
Key Highlights of Delhi Startup & Incubation Policy 2026
- More than 10,000 startups targeted for support.
- Target of creating over 4 lakh employment opportunities.
- Proposed financial support of ₹407.5 crore.
- Focus on strengthening Delhi as a startup and innovation hub.
- Incubation centres proposed in Delhi University colleges and schools.
- Greater collaboration planned between the government, startups, investors and educational institutions.
- Special focus on emerging sectors such as AI, FinTech, AgriTech, Defence & Aerospace, DeepTech, GovTech, LegalTech, EdTech and MedTech.
- Proposals discussed for stronger support to women entrepreneurs.
- Industry suggested positioning Delhi as the country's “Deregulation Capital.”
Leading Startup Founders and Investors Join Discussion
The roundtable brought together several prominent entrepreneurs, startup founders, investors and industry representatives.
Participants included Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder, Info Edge; Kunal Bahl, Co-founder, Snapdeal and Founder, Titan Capital; Rohit Kapoor, CEO, Swiggy; Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Co-founder, Urban Company; Vikram Chopra, Founder and CEO, CARS24; entrepreneur and philanthropist Aradhana Dalmia; Lakshmi Jhunjhunwala of Bajaj; Dr. Ritesh Malik, Founder, Innov8; Viraj Bahl, Founder and Managing Director, Veeba; Swati Bhargava, Co-founder, CashKaro; Ankit Agrawal, Founder, InsuranceDekho; Akash Gupta, Founder, Zypp Electric; Akshit Bansal, Founder, Statiq; Puneet Gupta, Founder, AstroTalk; entrepreneur and investor Arjun Vaidya; Rahul Singh, Founder, Ecosoul; Siddharth Maheshwari, Founder, Newton School of Technology; Apoorva Mishra, Advisor, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; and Apoorva Chamaria, CBO, Nucleus Software, among others.
The participants shared their experiences of building and scaling businesses and offered suggestions on how Delhi could create a stronger environment for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Industry Calls for Delhi to Become ‘Deregulation Capital’
One of the key suggestions emerging from the meeting was that Delhi should work towards becoming the country’s “Deregulation Capital” by leveraging its existing advantages.
Industry representatives discussed the need to improve access to land and workspaces for startups and suggested measures to rationalise FAR and circle rates.
Participants also highlighted Delhi’s competitive advantages, including:
- Strong metro connectivity
- Proximity to the Central Government
- Presence of leading research and educational institutions
- Access to a large consumer market
- Presence of major industries and businesses
These factors, according to the participants, could help Delhi develop into a more attractive destination for startups and investors.
₹407.5 Crore Fund Proposed as Fund of Funds
Participants also discussed the proposed ₹407.5 crore fund under the startup policy.
The industry suggested structuring the fund as a Fund of Funds to attract private capital and use government investment to encourage significantly greater private investment in Delhi’s startup ecosystem.
The approach could help startups gain access to a wider pool of capital while leveraging government support to attract private investors.
Government as First Major Customer for Startups
Another key suggestion was that the Delhi Government could become the first major customer for startups, particularly where innovative solutions can address public-sector challenges.
Industry representatives also proposed developing:
- Public AI infrastructure
- Data sandboxes for deep-tech companies
- Support systems for GovTech startups
- Greater government procurement opportunities for innovative startups
Such measures could help startups test and deploy their technologies in real-world environments.
Focus on AI, DeepTech, FinTech and Other Emerging Sectors
The participants recommended that the policy give priority to sectors with high growth and employment potential.
These include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- FinTech
- AgriTech
- Defence and Aerospace
- DeepTech
- GovTech
- LegalTech
- EdTech
- MedTech
The focus on these areas is aimed at ensuring that Delhi’s startup ecosystem remains aligned with emerging technologies and future economic opportunities.
Special Support for Women Entrepreneurs Proposed
The meeting also discussed measures to increase participation of women in entrepreneurship.
Industry representatives suggested introducing a dedicated women-founder category along with ring-fenced funding to provide targeted support to women-led startups.
Other proposals focused on strengthening the connection between education and entrepreneurship.
Participants suggested:
- Linking ITIs more closely with industry requirements.
- Establishing advisory cells in schools and colleges.
- Developing mentorship networks involving alumni and IITs.
- Providing greater academic flexibility to students pursuing entrepreneurship.
- Organising regular startup pitch programmes.
- Creating a permanent regulatory helpdesk comprising domain experts.
The regulatory helpdesk, in particular, was proposed to enable startups to obtain quicker solutions to regulatory and compliance-related challenges.
CM Rekha Gupta Says Delhi Has Potential to Become Startup Capital
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reiterated the Delhi Government’s commitment to making the national capital India’s startup and innovation capital.
She said Delhi possesses a combination of talented young people, strong educational institutions, technological capabilities, a large market and the presence of leading industries, making it a natural hub for startups and innovation.
The Chief Minister said the government’s objective is to create an enabling environment where:
- Young people receive encouragement for their ideas.
- Innovation gets the right platform.
- Entrepreneurs receive necessary support.
- Startups generate employment.
- Investment and economic opportunities expand.
She said the government is undertaking concrete measures under the Delhi Startup & Incubation Policy, 2026, including the establishment of incubation centres in Delhi University colleges and schools.
Government to Work with Startup Ecosystem
CM Rekha Gupta said the Delhi Government would work closely with startup founders, investors, industry representatives, educational institutions and young people to make policymaking more participatory and outcome-oriented.
She added that the experiences and suggestions shared by industry stakeholders during the roundtable would serve as important inputs for implementing the policy.
According to the Chief Minister, Delhi’s startup ecosystem should not remain limited to the creation of new businesses. Instead, it should become a foundation for innovation, employment generation, investment and economic growth.
She also said the government wants to position Delhi as a global platform where young people from India and around the world can transform their ideas into successful enterprises.
More Than 10,000 Startups to Be Supported
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, who chaired the meeting, said the government had held detailed discussions with some of the country’s leading startup founders on the implementation of the policy.
He noted that several participating entrepreneurs had started their ventures in Delhi before successfully scaling them to a much larger level.
According to Sood, the Delhi Government aims to support and encourage more than 10,000 startups during its tenure and create employment opportunities for more than 4 lakh youth through these startups.
He said the detailed discussions were aimed at ensuring that the policy achieves these targets effectively and delivers tangible outcomes.
Startup Ecosystem to Create Jobs for Delhi Youth
Ashish Sood said the Delhi Government seeks to develop a startup ecosystem capable of generating employment on a large scale and creating new opportunities for the city’s youth.
He said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Government is working towards building a strong and vibrant startup ecosystem in the national capital.
The roundtable marks an effort to bring policymakers and the startup community together at an early stage of implementing the Delhi Startup & Incubation Policy, 2026, with the aim of translating the policy’s financial and institutional support into measurable outcomes for entrepreneurs and young people.
Important Points at a Glance
- Policy: Delhi Startup & Incubation Policy, 2026
- Chief Minister: Rekha Gupta
- Education Minister: Ashish Sood
- Target startups: 10,000+
- Employment target: 4 lakh+
- Proposed fund: ₹407.5 crore
- Key sectors: AI, FinTech, AgriTech, Defence & Aerospace, DeepTech, GovTech, LegalTech, EdTech and MedTech
- Proposed support: Incubation centres, funding, mentorship and regulatory assistance
- Women entrepreneurship: Dedicated category and ring-fenced funding proposed
- Industry proposal: Position Delhi as the “Deregulation Capital”
- Meeting venue: The Lalit, New Delhi
- Organised by: Department of Training & Technical Education, Government of Delhi, in collaboration with Youth for Governance
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