Yogi for revamped startup policy, mission to drive innovation

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that a revamped and industry-friendly policy framework should be evolved to attract an increased number of start-ups to the state.Reviewing the existing start-up ecosystem, the CM said that the new policy should promote employment generation and innovation and ensure that startups in the state receive support at every stage.During the meeting, the officials presented the preliminary draft of the 2026 start-up policy and explained to the CM that UP would have the best offers for start-up players once the policy is rolled out.Yogi stressed the need for special incentives for women entrepreneurs, economically weaker sections, persons with disabilities, transgender entrepreneurs, and startups from Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions.Yogi directed officials to encourage deep-tech startups. “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,” he said.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 startup culture in the country.He added that the state had the potential to emerge as the country’s leading startup hub due to its youth power, large market, fast-growing digital and industrial base, and investor-friendly environment.“The new policy should not only help youth find jobs but also enable them to create jobs, giving Uttar Pradesh a distinct identity in startups and innovation,” he said.The CM said provisions related to incubation support, prototype grants, seed capital assistance, and patent and quality certification incentives should be strengthened.“Startups should be connected with accelerators, investors, industry, and research institutions at national and global levels. Sectors such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum technology, robotics, semiconductors, aerospace, space technology, health-tech, and other emerging technologies should be the priority areas,” Yogi remarked.He advocated for developing proposed hubs in Lucknow and Noida as major centres for deep-tech innovation. The CM noted that while the startup ecosystem has grown, it now requires a dedicated institutional framework to make it more structured, result-oriented, and inclusive.For this, he directed the formation of a dedicated start-up mission.He directed that the mission be run in a professional, transparent, and accountable manner to build a strong and inclusive startup ecosystem in the state.The proposed mission would ensure effective implementation of the startup policy and promote innovation and entrepreneurship, officials said.