States » NorthPosted at: Nov 15 2026 12:30AM


UP govt to give new impetus to startup ecosystem, incubators & accelerator programmes to strengthen foundation of innovation

Lucknow, Nov 14 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh government is continuously striving to establish the state as one of the leading startup and innovation hubs in the country.
To encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and new business ideas among the youth in the state, emphasis is being placed on developing an ecosystem where the necessary support can be provided to transform a new idea into a successful business, Sumit Mahajan, CEO of the Uttar Pradesh Startup Mission said.
In line with this, the Uttar Pradesh Startup Mission has designated incubators, host institutes, and accelerator programs as key players in promoting startups. The state government's effort is to ensure that the youth of the state have access to the necessary resources, guidance, and institutional support to start and grow their ventures within the state.
Sumit Mahajan stated that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's initiative is not limited to providing startup support only at the initial stage, but also to expanding their businesses and preparing them for investment once the product is developed.
Incubators will play a crucial role in strengthening the startup ecosystem. These will provide startups with plug-and-play facilities, meeting and conference rooms, office space, and shared administrative services. Essential amenities like high-speed internet will also be provided, ensuring that new entrepreneurs don't have to invest significant resources on infrastructure at the initial stage.
Incubators' responsibilities will go beyond providing offices and workspaces. They will also support startups with mentorship, training, funding, legal services, accounting, technical support, networking activities, and marketing. These services will be coordinated with the state and central governments as needed. This will help new entrepreneurs navigate the practical challenges of starting a business and address them as needed.
The CEO explained that host institutes have also been given significant responsibility to expand the startup ecosystem in the state. These institutes will include prestigious technology, management, and research and development (R&D) institutes run or established by the Uttar Pradesh government and recognized by the government. The objective of these institutes will be to establish incubators focused on the development and promotion of entrepreneurship in the state. This will enable the use of the expertise of educational and technical institutions to foster new ventures.
The acceleration program is designed to prepare startups for business expansion after product development. It will be a structured and time-bound program with a minimum duration of 12 weeks. It will focus on startups that have completed product development and have established market presence at an early stage or are in the process of expanding their business.
The accelerator program will provide intensive mentorship, market access assistance, investment readiness training, and opportunities to share experiences with other startups. Its objective is to strengthen startups' business capabilities, revenue growth, and investment-attracting readiness.
Certain mandatory requirements have also been established for the program. The accelerator program must be at least 12 weeks long and must include a cohort of at least five startups. The program will be conducted by an entity listed with the UP Startup Mission.
The curriculum should include investor presentation preparation, financial model review, product launch strategy, and at least two demo days or investor outreach events. Importantly, startups participating in the program will not be required to pledge any equity as a condition of participation.
Institutions eligible for the accelerator program have also been categorized. Tier 1 will include nationally and internationally recognized accelerators. These include DPIIT-accredited accelerators, SEBI-registered alternative investment funds with acceleration activities, and international accelerators with a portfolio of at least 50 successfully matured startups. Examples include Y Combinator, Techstars, T-Hub Lab32, CIIE, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIT-based accelerators. Tier 3 includes other eligible institutions listed by the UP Startup Mission. These may include educational institutions, industry associations, and emerging accelerators.
The definition and eligibility criteria for a startup are based on a Central Government notification dated February 4, 2026. According to this, private limited companies, registered partnership firms, limited liability partnerships, and cooperative societies meeting the prescribed conditions can be eligible as startups.
For a normal startup, the period of 10 years from the date of registration and a maximum turnover of Rs 200 crore in any financial year is prescribed. Furthermore, the entity concerned must be working towards innovation, development or improvement in a product, process or service or must have a scalable business model with high potential for employment and wealth creation.
Deep-tech startups, however, are eligible under special provisions for a period of up to 20 years and a maximum turnover of Rs 300 crore in any financial year. However, an entity formed by splitting or reorganizing an existing business will not be considered a startup.
UNI MBD CDS
Tags: #UP govt to give new impetus to startup ecosystem# incubators & accelerator programmes to strengthen foundation of innovation
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