New Delhi: India is making significant strides in nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and laying the groundwork for sustained innovation and economic growth in the coming years. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal on April 21st, 2025, launched The Bharat Project, an initiative by YourStory aimed at empowering one million entrepreneurs from Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural parts of India.
“This is a strategic roadmap built to support startups across sectors,” said Goyal. “India is on an irreversible path to becoming an economic powerhouse. From a $4 trillion economy today, we are poised to grow eight times to $30–35 trillion by 2047. We are committed to empowering first-generation entrepreneurs with access to resources, including a ₹10,000 crore government-backed seed fund.”
The Bharat Project will offer support through an AI-powered, mobile-first platform called Co-Pilot for Entrepreneurs. The platform will provide startup guidance, learning resources, mentorship, and success stories in both Hindi and English. The initiative also includes WhatsApp-based learning, local-level training, and Bharat Ideathon, a national challenge that will collect business ideas from over 1,000 districts.
Selected participants will pitch their ideas to investors, access mentorship and funding, and receive long term support through the BharatSparks launchpad. The initiative also includes a seven-part documentary series, Shuru-kar, which will feature real startup journeys from across the country.
“India’s future is not limited to metros,” said Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory. “It’s brewing in the kitchens, backyards, and streets of Bharat. The Bharat Project is a step towards ensuring that every aspiring entrepreneur has access to resources, stories, and support to turn their idea into impact.”
BI Bureau
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