Delhi Approves 50 Crore Fund to Support Startups

Delhi approves the ₹50 crore Go-Delhi Foundation to help startups and MSMEs access product development facilities, mentorship, incubation, testing infrastructure and investor networks.

The Delhi Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Go-Delhi Foundation with an initial corpus of ₹50 crore to support startups, young innovators and entrepreneurs across the national capital. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, with the initiative aimed at helping researchers and entrepreneurs transform ideas into market-ready products and viable businesses.

Delhi has nearly 21,000 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The foundation is intended to strengthen the city’s startup ecosystem by bringing product development facilities, technical expertise, incubation services and investor connections together on a common platform.

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Through the initiative, startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will be able to access product engineering, prototyping facilities, laboratories and testing infrastructure. The foundation will also provide technical guidance, mentorship, business support and assistance with certification preparation and market access.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative would help entrepreneurs at different stages of business development, from refining initial concepts to testing products and preparing them for commercial launch. By improving access to resources and expertise, the government aims to make it easier for businesses to establish, develop and scale their operations.

The foundation will also connect government departments with startups to develop solutions to practical public sector challenges. Departments will be able to present specific problems to innovators, whose products and technologies could be evaluated through pilot projects. Successful solutions may subsequently be considered for wider adoption, creating opportunities for startups to demonstrate their capabilities.

The Go-Delhi Foundation will collaborate with industry partners, educational institutions, investors and other organisations. It will follow a hub-and-spoke model, using existing facilities and partner institutions across Delhi to deliver its programmes.

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The foundation will be established as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, and operate under the Delhi government’s Department of Industries. The initiative is expected to support entrepreneurship, encourage innovation and create opportunities for startups to attract investment and develop commercially viable products.