Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met startup founders and investors on September 6 to gather suggestions on the Delhi Start-Up and Incubation Policy 2026, which the Delhi Cabinet approved in July. The government has allocated Rs. 400 crore over five years to support more than 10,000 startups and create employment for over four lakh youth, according to Education Minister Ashish Sood, who is leading the policy initiative, per medianama.com.
The consultation session focused on improving the policy’s implementation, especially its incubation centres planned for Delhi University, colleges, and schools. Founders and CEOs provided feedback on enhancing the programme. The policy, fronted by Education Minister Ashish Sood, aims to foster startup growth through educational institutions rather than direct funding. The Cabinet approved the policy on July 16, after which this consultation became the last opportunity to influence its final form, medianama.com reported.
The 2026 policy marks a shift from the 2025 draft, which had named priority sectors such as fintech, AI, machine learning, IoT, gaming, and drones, and proposed a Rs. 200 crore venture capital fund. The approved policy removed sector focus and the venture fund, concentrating instead on incubation via educational institutions. This change is notable given Delhi’s recent efforts to prepare administrative data for AI applications, highlighting a gap in targeted support for emerging tech sectors, according to medianama.com.
The Delhi government’s Rs. 400 crore commitment over five years aims to back over 10,000 startups and generate employment for more than 400,000 young people, as stated by Education Minister Ashish Sood during the September 6 consultation meeting, medianama.com detailed.