Maharashtra has emerged as India’s leading startup hub, boasting the highest number of registered ventures in the country—nearly 45% of them led by women, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
Speaking at the inauguration of Innovation Mahakumbh 2025 at SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai, Fadnavis underscored the state’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the role women founders are playing in powering India’s growth ambitions. “It is a matter of pride that Maharashtra has the highest number of registered startups in India and 45% of these are led by women,” he said, as reported by GoodReturns.
Fadnavis highlighted that Maharashtra’s youth and women entrepreneurs are vital to India’s goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy. He said innovation now extends beyond product development to solutions that simplify life, adding that technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics are accelerating this shift.
The state government has rolled out a series of initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, including partnerships between government departments and universities to support young innovators. During the event, a pre-incubation centre was inaugurated at the university to mentor early-stage entrepreneurs and help ideas evolve into market-ready ventures.
State Skill Development Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha, who also addressed the event, said Maharashtra’s progress in education and innovation has been remarkable. He assured continued state support for SNDT University and praised the growing impact of women entrepreneurs on the economy.
Fadnavis drew a link between Maharashtra’s innovation culture and the state’s historical legacy of women’s empowerment. Recalling the contribution of social reformer Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve—who founded SNDT Women’s University in 1916, before women in Britain had voting rights—he said the institution had “ushered in a new era of empowerment and innovation.”
Showcasing the work of women entrepreneurs across healthcare, agriculture, and transport, the event also honoured leading innovators who are contributing to inclusive economic development.
India is now the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem under the government’s Startup India initiative, and Maharashtra’s strong participation, especially among women founders, has positioned it at the forefront of that growth story.
With increased collaboration between academia, industry, and government, Maharashtra aims not just to lead the startup count but to set the benchmark for sustainable and inclusive entrepreneurship in the coming decade.