Union Minister Jitendra Singh calls for expanding startup ecosystem to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday called for taking India's "rapidly expanding" startup ecosystem beyond metropolitan centres, and said there is a growing need to recognise the innovation potential of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 'RISE (Research, Innovation, Start-up and Entrepreneurship) Conclave 2026' here, Singh said stronger linkages should be created among science, startups and industry to accelerate the journey of indigenous technologies from laboratories to the marketplace.

"There is a growing need to recognise the innovation potential of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. More than 50-60 per cent of India's startups do not belong to metros.

"Young innovators from smaller cities are increasingly matching and, in several cases, excelling their counterparts in bigger cities, making it important for scientific institutions and the innovation ecosystem to reach out to them rather than expecting them to travel to established technology hubs," he said.

Singh said that India has emerged as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with nearly 2,40,000 startups.

The Minister of State for Science and Technology said Kolkata's selection as the venue for the RISE Conclave carries a special significance because of the city's historic contribution to India's scientific and academic journey.

Recalling Bengal's long tradition of scientific excellence and institution-building, he said Kolkata has produced and nurtured eminent personalities and institutions, which have contributed significantly to India's intellectual and scientific progress.

He also called for restoring Bengal's scientific and intellectual heritage, asserting that Kolkata had historically been a "trend setter" and continues to play a key role in shaping the country's future.

Singh said India's journey towards becoming a global technology and startup powerhouse must also involve reclaiming the legacy of its historic centres of excellence.

Referring to Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, among others, Singh said the present generation has the responsibility to live up to this extraordinary legacy, and help restore Kolkata's position as a major centre of scientific and technological excellence.

Singh said the Centre's 'Whole-of-Government' approach is increasingly translating into a 'Whole-of-Science' approach, bringing different ministries, departments, research institutions, academia and industry together.

"India has in recent years created new opportunities for private-sector participation in areas that were earlier largely closed to industry, including space, nuclear energy and biotechnology. The opening up of these sectors has created a new environment for startups and businesses to participate in national technology development," he was quoted as saying in an official release.

The minister urged industries to come forward and adopt, support, finance and commercialise indigenous technologies emerging from Indian laboratories.

He said scientific projects and startups cannot be sustained in isolation, and require a mutually beneficial relationship with business and industry.

Singh said the scientific and technological strengths of eastern India, coupled with its strong academic and industrial base, can play a major role in the country's technology-led growth.

Startups can serve as key vehicles for technology transfer, while established industries in sectors such as steel, aluminium, mining, jute, IT and software can become important partners in taking indigenous technologies to scale, he said.

The conclave, jointly organised by four CSIR institutions -- CSIR-CGCRI, CSIR-IICB, CSIR-CMERI and CSIR-IMMT -- brings together startups, industry, academia, researchers, innovators, investors, incubators, MSMEs and policymakers, the release said.

Eight MoUs and four technology transfer initiatives formed a key part of the conclave, it said.