Piyush Goyal promotes India's startup potential at festival

Union Minister Piyush Goyal spoke about the growth of India's startup ecosystem at the Vejalpur Startup Festival 2.0. He announced a goal to increase the number of unicorns from 118 to 1,000 and then to 5,000. Goyal praised Gujarat's development model and the government’s support for startups, saying they help turn job seekers into job creators. Goyal noted that many countries want to adopt India's development model, which promotes innovation through initiatives like Startup India. He emphasized how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has led to significant programs such as Swachh Bharat and Make In India. He highlighted Modi's recognition on the global stage, having received 21 international awards. The Minister mentioned that Gujarat is the top-performing state for startups. He said that the government has encouraged startups through various funds, including a Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds and another Rs 10,000 crore announced in the recent budget. He also mentioned the removal of angel tax and the launch of a portal called 'Bhaskar' to connect startups with investors. Goyal urged the youth to embrace failure as part of their journey toward success. He pointed out that startups can innovate in manufacturing and marketing. He also mentioned NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who recently returned from the International Space Station, as an example of courage and achievement. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who launched the festival, noted that startups have become a key part of youth identity. He said that today's youth are rapidly advancing with creative thinking and innovative ideas. The festival features more than 1,000 startups and 4,500 attendees, with 42 startups given free stalls to showcase their products.