India Bets on Future as an Innovation Hub

One look at the national newspapers and you’ll see signs of India’s booming tech startup scene continuing its breakneck journey—new additions, funding and market expansions. While some majors like ecommerce giant Flipkart are taking heat over growth challenges, the trend for new startups is still very clearly upward.

Tech entrepreneurs in the country over the last few years have pounced on the chance to take some of India’s “big problems,” and turn them into opportunities for sustained growth and accessibility. From education, healthcare, consumer internet, and ecommerce to fintech, logistics and foodtech, India’s tech startups are starting to touch all aspects of its 1.2 billion citizens’ lives.

Recognizing this important development, in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi championed the “Start-up India” initiative, creating an action plan to foster the startup ecosystem in the country. NASSCOM, the industry association for the IT-BPM industry is embracing this move further, with several initiatives at play, including its 10,000 startups program, startup warehouses and startup connect.

HfS Research recently caught up with NASSCOM Vice President, Rajat Tandon, as he was in the heart of the action at the 3rd NASSCOM Innotrek, a start-up showcasing program, in the Bay Area this May. Below is a summary of our conversation, covering the growth and prospects of the Indian tech startup landscape, and the support system rapidly developing around it.​