Innovation, entrepreneurship & startup play pivotal roles in driving economic growth, fostering social progress, and promoting environmental sustainability in the 21^st century. Innovation opens doors for entrepreneurial opportunities, and in turn, entrepreneurs & startup propel innovation by introducing novel concepts to the market.

India has emerged as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup, reflecting a vibrant ecosystem that thrives on diversity, technological prowess, and a spirit of resilience. Central to India's transformative journey is a vibrant culture of innovation, where entrepreneurs & startup not only adopt technological progress but also cultivate solutions for critical societal issues. India in the domain of startup, has emerged as a global player, with a diverse array of enterprises disrupting traditional industries and contributing to economic growth. The large consumer market, coupled with strong government support, has attracted both domestic and international investors, fuelling the growth of startup across sectors. Tech hubs in cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad have become pivots of innovation, fostering an environment where collaboration and knowledge exchange thrive.

CII has actively contributed to the Government of India and State Governments' efforts in fortifying the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country. By assisting corporate entities and investors, CII identifies promising startup for establishing business partnerships. Simultaneously, CII collaborates with startup in shared co-working spaces, attracting the most innovative ventures for cooperation with corporate entities and mutual growth. Additionally, CII offers state-of-the-art working spaces and comprehensive support to budding startup, fostering an environment conducive to their development. The organization is also establishing partnerships with both national and international universities, aiming to impart knowledge and enhance the capabilities of emerging startup. Serving as a Knowledge Centre, CII conducts various capacity-building programs, transforming potential entrepreneurs into empowered job creators and contributing to India's entrepreneurial landscape.

Towards taking Government endeavour’s further, CII this year is organizing the 2^nd edition of CII National Startup Conference 2024 on 28 October 2024 New Delhi.

The theme of the Conference would be ‘India's Innovation Drive: Startup, Corporate, & Academic Collaboration’

• Bring together startup, entrepreurs, corporates, investors, incubators, accelerator, and government on single platform to emphasize their pivotal role in fostering innovation, thereby driving economic growth.
• Encourage innovations through starts-up & entrepreneur, thus contributing to the overall development of the start-up ecosystem in India.
• Enhance collaborations, funding opportunities and business partnerships by providing a conducive environment for networking, enabling startup to connect with potential investors, mentors, industry peers, and strategic partners.
• Inspire students and young professionals in transforming their ideas into business ventures.
• Encourage the participation of entrepreneurs from women, underrepresented and groups from diverse backgrounds by promoting diversity and inclusion within the start-up ecosystem.
• Support government taking forward the vision of ‘Start-up India’