COVER STORY
In the past few years, a new class of celebrity has emerged: start-up founders.
Start-Up Special
Start-Up Special
01-february-2025
Outlook Magazine - Start-Up Special
In the past few years, a new class of celebrity has emerged: start-up founders.
The abundance of capital that came with India’s start-up boom has long subsided. It’s time for a measured and mature approach
Evaluating start-ups is more than number crunching. While some factors are quantifiable, many are more nuanced. Here’s a sneak peek inside the war room from where the rankings emerged
Piyush Goyal, Union minister of commerce and industry talks about role of youth, incubation centres in non-metros and Centre’s hands-off approach
These start-ups are rewriting the playbook for retail, offering everything from skin care to snacks with a promise of quality and personalisation
One of the first steps in the entrepreneurial journey is identifying market gaps and seizing opportunities for innovation
These start-ups are changing how India saves, spends and invests all the while navigating razor-thin margins and fierce competition
Zerodha founder and chief executive Nithin Kamath talks about how the philosophy of a company is what sets it apart and makes it special. Edited excerpts
Emerging tech companies are focusing on everything from loan collection to online shopping—and going from strength to strength
From AI-driven diagnostics to tracking lifestyle diseases—these start-ups are pioneering new models to streamline health-care delivery
The companies at the forefront of decarbonising the economy with innovation in renewables are powering the next green revolution
Most founder stories start with a Eureka moment—or that is what entrepreneurship folklore would have you believe. Ideas act as primary catalysts for every business, but the reality is far more complex
Info Edge founder and veteran start-up investor Sanjeev Bikhchandani talks about high valuations and corporate governance in start-ups. Edited excerpts
Today it is an often-repeated phrase that culture eats strategy for breakfast. Some people may feel that the notion of culture is amorphous, but it has an inextricable link with an organisation’s financial performance
Home-grown guardians of the skies offer a birds-eye view of the world
India’s most promising sector is shooting for the stars
The framework examines start-ups through three lenses: financial performance, funding and valuation, and operational capabilities
Product-based start-ups offer unique opportunities and challenges. Innovation drives the creation of products that can be scaled globally
S Krishnan, secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) talks about R&D, funding and various schemes for start-ups. Edited excerpts:
The landscape of venture and growth financings in India has undergone a major shift since the pre-Covid era
Hailing from Jaipur, a Tier-II city, we shaped an idea born in a garage into what is now a unicorn valued at $1.2bn
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Gujarat top the list of states in the Outlook Business Start-Up Outperformers rankings. What sets them apart are funding and investment opportunities, aided by government policies. This lays the ground for attracting human capital, making them the preferred choices for entrepreneurs and investors
What makes a robust start-up ecosystem? In Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, a combination of business-friendly policies, digital innovation and strategic funding is the answer, along with skilled talent and a focus on sustainability and inclusion
Of course, it won't be easy. But the state has the ingredients to make it happen—significant high-tech exports and a thriving services sector
Amardeep Singh Bhatia, secretary, department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) talks about the government’s various schemes to give start-ups a leg up. Edited excerpts
GCCs are spearheading innovation, enabling meaningful collaborations and cultivating a robust talent pool in a way that is reshaping the business landscape
The success of a start-up depends on more things than a founder’s vision. It depends on infrastructure, talent and culture. The top five cities for start-ups in Outlook Business Outperformers have a story to tell
The origin of trade led to the birth of cities. And then, new businesses needed cities to grow. Only big cities can harbour start-up ecosystems in India, at least so far
Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, India’s youngest state, has emerged as the top destination for entrepreneurship and innovation in the country
Jayesh Ranjan, special chief secretary of Telangana’s IT and industries and commerce departments, says Hyderabad can become a top start-up destination. Edited excerpts
Over the past nine years, the number of recognised start-ups increased from about 500 to more than 1.57 lakh. These start-ups have reportedly created over 1.7mn direct jobs across 55 industries
The once-thriving edtech sector has been battling funding challenges and shutdowns for the past few years. Now AI is changing the rules of the game
Two intrepid entrepreneurs quit steady jobs to help Manipur farmers take the organic route
India Before the Ambanis is a history of Indian business through the lens of individual enterprise. It focuses on western India, the country’s leading commercial, financial and industrial hub in the mid-19th century
Swarup Mohanty, Vice Chairman & CEO, Mirae Asset Investment Managers India Pvt. Ltd shares his experiences around his first paycheque and the challenges he faced while building an independent life for himself. He had little money then, so he was unable to save in the initial years, but highlights the importance of starting early
Akshay Jatia is the president and executive director of Westlife Foodworld
In the past few years, a new class of celebrity has emerged: start-up founders.
The abundance of capital that came with India’s start-up boom has long subsided. It’s time for a measured and mature approach
Evaluating start-ups is more than number crunching. While some factors are quantifiable, many are more nuanced. Here’s a sneak peek inside the war room from where the rankings emerged
Piyush Goyal, Union minister of commerce and industry talks about role of youth, incubation centres in non-metros and Centre’s hands-off approach
These start-ups are rewriting the playbook for retail, offering everything from skin care to snacks with a promise of quality and personalisation
One of the first steps in the entrepreneurial journey is identifying market gaps and seizing opportunities for innovation
These start-ups are changing how India saves, spends and invests all the while navigating razor-thin margins and fierce competition
Zerodha founder and chief executive Nithin Kamath talks about how the philosophy of a company is what sets it apart and makes it special. Edited excerpts
Emerging tech companies are focusing on everything from loan collection to online shopping—and going from strength to strength
From AI-driven diagnostics to tracking lifestyle diseases—these start-ups are pioneering new models to streamline health-care delivery
The companies at the forefront of decarbonising the economy with innovation in renewables are powering the next green revolution
Most founder stories start with a Eureka moment—or that is what entrepreneurship folklore would have you believe. Ideas act as primary catalysts for every business, but the reality is far more complex
Info Edge founder and veteran start-up investor Sanjeev Bikhchandani talks about high valuations and corporate governance in start-ups. Edited excerpts
Today it is an often-repeated phrase that culture eats strategy for breakfast. Some people may feel that the notion of culture is amorphous, but it has an inextricable link with an organisation’s financial performance
Home-grown guardians of the skies offer a birds-eye view of the world
India’s most promising sector is shooting for the stars
The framework examines start-ups through three lenses: financial performance, funding and valuation, and operational capabilities
Product-based start-ups offer unique opportunities and challenges. Innovation drives the creation of products that can be scaled globally
S Krishnan, secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) talks about R&D, funding and various schemes for start-ups. Edited excerpts:
The landscape of venture and growth financings in India has undergone a major shift since the pre-Covid era
Hailing from Jaipur, a Tier-II city, we shaped an idea born in a garage into what is now a unicorn valued at $1.2bn
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Gujarat top the list of states in the Outlook Business Start-Up Outperformers rankings. What sets them apart are funding and investment opportunities, aided by government policies. This lays the ground for attracting human capital, making them the preferred choices for entrepreneurs and investors
What makes a robust start-up ecosystem? In Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, a combination of business-friendly policies, digital innovation and strategic funding is the answer, along with skilled talent and a focus on sustainability and inclusion
Of course, it won't be easy. But the state has the ingredients to make it happen—significant high-tech exports and a thriving services sector
Amardeep Singh Bhatia, secretary, department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) talks about the government’s various schemes to give start-ups a leg up. Edited excerpts
GCCs are spearheading innovation, enabling meaningful collaborations and cultivating a robust talent pool in a way that is reshaping the business landscape
The success of a start-up depends on more things than a founder’s vision. It depends on infrastructure, talent and culture. The top five cities for start-ups in Outlook Business Outperformers have a story to tell
The origin of trade led to the birth of cities. And then, new businesses needed cities to grow. Only big cities can harbour start-up ecosystems in India, at least so far
Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, India’s youngest state, has emerged as the top destination for entrepreneurship and innovation in the country
Jayesh Ranjan, special chief secretary of Telangana’s IT and industries and commerce departments, says Hyderabad can become a top start-up destination. Edited excerpts
Over the past nine years, the number of recognised start-ups increased from about 500 to more than 1.57 lakh. These start-ups have reportedly created over 1.7mn direct jobs across 55 industries
The once-thriving edtech sector has been battling funding challenges and shutdowns for the past few years. Now AI is changing the rules of the game
Two intrepid entrepreneurs quit steady jobs to help Manipur farmers take the organic route
India Before the Ambanis is a history of Indian business through the lens of individual enterprise. It focuses on western India, the country’s leading commercial, financial and industrial hub in the mid-19th century
Swarup Mohanty, Vice Chairman & CEO, Mirae Asset Investment Managers India Pvt. Ltd shares his experiences around his first paycheque and the challenges he faced while building an independent life for himself. He had little money then, so he was unable to save in the initial years, but highlights the importance of starting early
Akshay Jatia is the president and executive director of Westlife Foodworld
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