Prime Highlights

• The herSTART programme was launched to support women-led startups with incubation, mentorship, and business development opportunities.
• Gujarat University also inaugurated a new research park to foster innovation and collaboration between startups, academia, and industry.

Key Facts

• India’s startup ecosystem has grown to nearly 200,000 startups from fewer than 500 a decade ago, highlighting rapid expansion since Startup India.
• The convention centre at Gujarat University will be named Vidyagauri Nilkanth Sabhapuram to honour the first Gujarati woman graduate.

Background

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the fifth edition of the herSTART programme at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad on Thursday to support and encourage women entrepreneurs. The event also included the inauguration of a new research park designed to promote innovation and collaboration between startups, academia, and industry.

The herSTART programme, run by the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council, focuses on encouraging women-led startups by providing incubation, mentorship, and business development support. It also helps entrepreneurs build networks and gain access to funding and markets.

During the launch event, the Chief Minister highlighted how fast India’s startup ecosystem is growing. He noted that the number of startups in the country has risen sharply since the launch of the Startup India initiative. According to estimates shared at the event, India now has nearly 200,000 startups, compared with fewer than 500 about ten years ago.

Patel also announced that the convention centre at Gujarat University will be named Vidyagauri Nilkanth Sabhapuram in honour of Vidyagauri Nilkanth, who is widely recognised as the first Gujarati woman graduate. The announcement reflects the state government’s focus on encouraging women’s participation in education and entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the programme, the Chief Minister also pointed to new opportunities in high-technology sectors such as semiconductors. He said that recent developments, such as setting up a semiconductor plant in Sanand, can help turn places like Dholera into major semiconductor hubs. These projects will create jobs and new business opportunities for skilled professionals, including women entrepreneurs.

Along with the programme launch, the new research park at Gujarat University aims to provide space and infrastructure for research-based startups and technology businesses.

Women-led startups associated with the programme were felicitated for their contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship in the state.