Uttar Pradesh is drafting a comprehensive new startup policy designed to support deep-tech ventures, women-led firms, and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. According to reports from Business Standard, the policy will foster collaboration among universities, technical institutions, research centres, and industry to facilitate the commercialisation of innovations. The state has advanced from the 'Aspiring Leader' category in 2018 to secure a place in the Government of India's Startup Ranking 2025 under the 'Top Performer' category. This development comes as India's tech startup ecosystem continues to attract significant international attention, with the country's tech startups securing $7.2 billion in funding during the first half of 2026, representing a 12% increase despite fewer funding rounds.
With UP's changing entrepreneurial landscape, the share of startups led by at least one woman founder currently stands at 50 per cent. As reported by Business Standard, special provisions for women entrepreneurs, economically weaker sections, persons with disabilities, transgender entrepreneurs, and startups based in Purvanchal (Eastern UP) and Bundelkhand regions are likely to be covered under the new policy. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasized the importance of emerging technologies including AI, ML, quantum technology, robotics, semiconductors, aerospace, and space technology. This focus aligns with the broader trend of investors concentrating larger sums on fewer, more mature companies, favoring infrastructure and deep-tech over consumer businesses, as reported by The Economic Times.
Noida, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, and Kanpur are among the top cities in terms of registered startups, according to Business Standard reports. Some of the leading startups emerging from these cities include Pine Labs, Spice Money, Paytm Payments Bank, IndiaMart, Info Edge, and PhysicsWallah. The state government is planning to develop deep-tech hubs in Noida and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur to drive innovation and next-generation technology development. This infrastructure development comes as India's startup ecosystem continues to produce unicorns like Square Yards, which recently secured ₹900 crore funding and achieved unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $1 billion.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasized that deep-tech startups should get incentives and an effective mechanism should be developed to promote research-driven innovation. As reported by Business Standard, he added that the formation of the Uttar Pradesh Startup Mission is vital for the management, promotion, financial administration, monitoring, capacity building, and coordination of startup-related activities among various stakeholders. According to Alok Kumar, Uttar Pradesh principal secretary, Information Technology & Electronics department, the state is emerging as a preferred destination for innovation-led investments. This government support is particularly significant as India's startup funding landscape shows investors favoring infrastructure and deep-tech over consumer businesses, as noted by The Economic Times.
