TN must join hands with Centre to boost startup ecosystem: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to work closely with the Centre to further strengthen the state's startup ecosystem, noting that despite significant progress, it still has immense untapped potential.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Research, Industry, Start-up and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave here, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences highlighted India's exponential growth in the sector, which has increased from 350 startups in 2014 to over 2 lakh today.

"Tamil Nadu has contributed 34,000 registered startups, but there is still significant untapped potential. We need to create an enabling ecosystem, particularly in tier-II and tier-III cities, to accelerate innovation-driven entrepreneurship," Singh said.

He encouraged youth in growth hubs like Chennai and Coimbatore to leverage central initiatives to scale up their ventures, pointing out that startups have already created over 21 lakh jobs nationwide.

Highlighting the union government's focus on the state, Singh referenced the installation of the 'sengol' in the new Parliament building as a mark of respect for Tamil heritage.

He also listed central welfare milestones in the state, including 40 lakh Ujjwala connections, 12 lakh houses built with central assistance, and the operation of eight Vande Bharat Express trains.

During the event, the minister launched a Centre of Excellence established by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in Kanchipuram.

Additionally, umbrella Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and various academic institutions and incubation centres to bolster collaboration.

The conclave, which saw participation from over 120 institutions, was also addressed by M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).

The officials emphasised the government's commitment to ensuring the seamless transfer of innovations from state-funded laboratories to the public and industry.

Later, speaking to reporters, the minister said that in a significant push for India's deep-tech sector, the government has rolled out a Rs 1 lakh crore RDI (Research, Development, and Innovation) fund to accelerate entrepreneurs in the private sector, specifically targeting those at the Technology Readiness Level 4.

On India's space missions, Singh dismissed reports of cancellations or delays, stating that ISRO's confidence and credibility remain intact. He confirmed that 18 launches are scheduled for this year, including participation from six private parties.

Singh clarified that the timeline for the Gaganyaan mission is set for 2027, with a critical preliminary robo-flight carrying the female robot Vyommitra expected to take place before the end of this year.

He further noted that the PSLV is slated for a relaunch as early as June or July 2026.

Singh also said that these conclaves are being held across various regions, including Hyderabad, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Lucknow, to ensure that information about enabling schemes is accessible to youngsters everywhere.