Dr Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi hosted the Startup Yuva Festival 2026, bringing together innovators from 11 universities, 12 colleges, and 19 ITI institutions.
Organised by the Delhi Government’s Higher & Technical Education Department, the event provided a platform for students to showcase their startups and connect with the market, investors, and industry.
Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, and Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta attended, aiming to bridge the gap between students and real-world entrepreneurship.
BUILDING A STUDENT STARTUP ECOSYSTEM IN DELHI
The Delhi Government is moving from scattered efforts to a more organised ecosystem for student startups. Delhi’s Higher Education Minister Ashish Sood noted that, in the past, institutions worked independently without a common platform or clear startup policy.
He stated that previous initiatives were often limited to announcements rather than concrete support.
Sood highlighted a shift in approach: education in Delhi is now focused on skills, entrepreneurship, and innovation, not just degrees. The ecosystem is being strengthened by bringing both public and private institutions together.
The Startup Yuva Festival marks a step in this direction.
For the first time, 11 universities, 12 colleges, and 19 ITI institutions have been brought together on a single platform. “Campus to Market” is now a practical system, providing mentorship, funding, and direct market access for student ideas.
STUDENTS DRIVE GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT
At the event, it was shared that over 75,000 students and young innovators are involved in entrepreneurship programs, with more than 470 startups incubated in Delhi government institutions.
These student startups have already generated revenue of 500 to 600 crore and are creating an average of 4 to 5 direct jobs each, showing that Delhi’s students are becoming job creators.
Government support starts early.
Under the NEEEV Curriculum, 5,000 student teams in government schools recently received 20,000 each as seed grants, totalling 10 crore, to encourage innovation at the school level.
SUPPORT FOR EARLY-STAGE STARTUPS AND FUTURE POLICY
To reduce risk for student entrepreneurs, the festival awarded equity-free grants: the top 6 student startups received 10 lakh each, and the top 100 received 1 lakh each.
Sood also announced the upcoming Delhi Startup Policy, with a proposed 325 crore for the next 5 years.
The policy aims to support 5,000 startups by 2035, offering incubation, funding, industry connections, and annual opportunities through the Startup Yuva Festival.
The event’s approach emphasises action and collaboration, aiming to make Delhi’s students active contributors to the economy.
With strong student participation and government backing, the city is laying the foundation for student-led startups to grow and create jobs in the years ahead.
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