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In a landmark move that bridges the worlds of industry success and academic innovation, the founders of three iconic Indian startups—Naveen Tewari (InMobi), Amit Kumar Agarwal (NoBroker), and Amit Gupta (Yulu)—have jointly pledged ₹100 crore to establish a pioneering School of Technology & Society at IIT Kanpur. Announced on December 30, 2025, this philanthropic endowment is more than a donation; it is a visionary blueprint for the next generation of Indian innovators. The school aims to systematically dismantle the traditional silos between engineering and humanities, creating a new breed of leader equipped to build technology that is not just advanced, but also equitable, sustainable, and deeply impactful for society.

India’s startup revolution is undergoing a vital and powerful geographical shift. While metropolitan hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai have long dominated the narrative, the immense talent and unique insights found in Tier-II and Tier-III cities are now taking center stage. Leading this charge is the Marwari Catalysts Group, a Jodhpur-based angel investor network and accelerator that has launched its flagship program, Thrive 10.0, with a sharp focus on empowering early-stage startups in defence-tech and agri-tech from smaller cities across India. This initiative is more than just an accelerator; it is a mission to democratize innovation, turning local challenges into scalable, national solutions.

After navigating a prolonged period of valuation corrections and capital caution, India’s startup ecosystem has staged a powerful comeback in

The closure of prominent startups like Hike and the operational scaling back of BluSmart in 2025 serve as a sobering

As 2025 draws to a close, India’s startup ecosystem stands transformed. The breakneck, hype-driven growth of past years has given way to a more deliberate, resilient, and mature phase. The narrative has shifted from chasing unicorns at any cost to building sustainable ventures that solve hard problems, leveraging deep technology, and fostering inclusive growth. This evolution—marked by disciplined capital, AI-led innovation, and a powerful geographic and sectoral diversification—positions India not just as a large market, but as a foundational player in the global technology landscape of the future.

Recent trends reveal a seismic shift in India’s startup narrative: the center of gravity is moving beyond the metropolitan hubs of Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR. In late 2025, a vibrant, decentralized innovation ecosystem is taking root, driven by ambitious state-level policies and funding that is empowering entrepreneurs in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to build globally relevant solutions. This state-led surge, targeting diverse sectors from agri-tech to deep-tech, is transforming India’s innovation map and laying a resilient foundation for sustained, inclusive growth under the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India visions.

In a clear sign of a market coming of age, an estimated 730 Indian startups closed their doors in 2025. While this number represents thousands of entrepreneurial journeys concluding, it marks a significant and positive trend: a notable decline of roughly 20-30% from the annual closure rates of 900-1,000+ seen in previous years. This lower count is not a sign of stagnation but of growing strength. It reflects a more resilient ecosystem where better-prepared founders, more selective capital, and robust support systems are helping startups navigate challenges and either find a path to viability or exit more gracefully.