India Coronavirus Dispatch: Investors shelve start-up plans this year

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Investors shelve start-up plans  this year

The number of start-ups founded this year more than halved across sectors in a sharp reminder of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on India’s potential entrepreneurs. The sweeping uncertainties of 2020 made would-be entrepreneurs apprehensive about starting their ventures as both demand and funding remained unpredictable, according to analysts and investors.

Only 27 start-ups were founded in agritech this year, compared with 97 in 2019. Similarly, there were only 93 technology start-ups—well below the 332 last year. Likewise, 170 retail start-ups were founded in 2020 compared with 498 in 2019. Read more