Tiwari, AnishORCID: 0000-0002-4923-8381
(2023)
Mapping the start-up ecosystem in India.
Economic and Political Weekly (Engage), 58
(32).
ISSN 2349-8846
This article examines the major trends in the Indian startup ecosystem based on three key parameters: new venture creation & fundraising, characteristics of the founding teams, and modes of entrepreneurial exit, especially exit via acquisitions, over the past decade (2010-2020) by collating data from leading databases and industry reports. The data sources used in this study are Tracxn, Crunchbase, and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Four key findings emerge from the analysis: First, despite dedicated policy interventions, the startup activity in India remains concentrated in three prominent clusters-Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. Second, the data suggest that the startups outside these clusters create disproportionately more jobs visa -vis their share in the total entrepreneurial activity. Third, a handful of universities dominate the founder pool, and women entrepreneurs remain severely underrepresented in the founding teams. Finally, acquisitions are a popular exit route for Indian startups, with a higher proportion of acquired startups coming from outside the three prominent clusters. This article recommends increased targeted policy support towards female founders and entrepreneurial activity outside the three clusters.