Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday emphasized the need for a revamped and industry-friendly policy framework to attract a greater number of start-ups to Uttar Pradesh. Reviewing the existing start-up ecosystem, the CM stated that the new policy should promote employment generation and innovation, ensuring that start-ups in the state receive support at every stage of their journey.
Draft of 2026 Startup Policy Presented
During a high-level meeting, officials presented the preliminary draft of the 2026 start-up policy to the Chief Minister. They explained that once the policy is rolled out, Uttar Pradesh would offer the best incentives for start-up players in the country. The CM stressed the importance of special incentives for women entrepreneurs, economically weaker sections, persons with disabilities, transgender entrepreneurs, and start-ups from the Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions.
Focus on Deep-Tech and Innovation
Yogi directed officials to encourage deep-tech start-ups. He said, “The number of centres of excellence in the state should be increased, and strong coordination must be established among universities, technical institutions, research centres, and industry to help innovations reach the market.” The CM pointed out that Uttar Pradesh has secured a place among the top-performing states in the country in the 2025 nationwide ranking, marking significant progress in promoting the start-up culture. He added that the state has the potential to emerge as the country’s leading start-up hub due to its youth power, large market, fast-growing digital and industrial base, and investor-friendly environment.
Job Creation and Global Connectivity
“The new policy should not only help youth find jobs but also enable them to create jobs, giving Uttar Pradesh a distinct identity in start-ups and innovation,” the CM remarked. He called for strengthening provisions related to incubation support, prototype grants, seed capital assistance, and patent and quality certification incentives. Furthermore, he emphasized connecting start-ups with accelerators, investors, industry, and research institutions at national and global levels. Priority sectors should include artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum technology, robotics, semiconductors, aerospace, space technology, health-tech, and other emerging technologies.
Dedicated Startup Mission Proposed
Yogi advocated for developing proposed hubs in Lucknow and Noida as major centres for deep-tech innovation. He noted that while the start-up ecosystem has grown, it now requires a dedicated institutional framework to make it more structured, result-oriented, and inclusive. To this end, he directed the formation of a dedicated start-up mission, which should be run in a professional, transparent, and accountable manner to build a strong and inclusive start-up ecosystem in the state. Officials said the proposed mission would ensure effective implementation of the start-up policy and promote innovation and entrepreneurship.
