TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Mumbai has hailed the Union Budget as a positive and future-ready step for India’s startup and innovation landscape. The Budget outlines a clear direction to boost innovation-led development, widen access to early-stage capital, and address the persistent funding shortage faced by startups and SMEs as they scale.
Reacting to the announcement, Dr Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, President, TiE Mumbai, said “This Union Budget offers a strong vote of confidence to India’s startup ecosystem, especially for innovation-driven and deep-tech ventures. The ₹10,000 crore allocation to SIDBI, the ₹2,000 crore commitment towards Research, Development and Innovation (RDI), along with an additional ₹2,000 crore for the Startup India Fund of Funds, demonstrate the government’s intent to deepen support for early-stage funding and research-backed entrepreneurship.”
Dr Sharma added, “The proposed ₹10,000 crore growth fund for SMEs is a particularly timely move, as it directly tackles the long-standing challenge of scale-up capital. With RDI positioned as a key pillar of the growth agenda, the groundwork is being laid for a strong deep-tech ecosystem—one that can support the creation of a ‘DeepTech Valley’ in India where research, innovation and commercial outcomes grow together. This Budget strengthens India’s journey from being a startup hub to becoming a global innovation leader.”
TiE Mumbai also noted that continued coordination between government bodies, investors, industry stakeholders and the entrepreneurial community will be essential to ensure these measures translate into real, on-ground impact. With innovation, research and scale-up support taking centre stage, the Union Budget sets the tone for India’s next phase of economic expansion—powered by technology, talent and globally competitive enterprises.
The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) was established in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of accomplished entrepreneurs, senior executives and professionals with roots in the Indus region. Over the years, TiE has played an active role in supporting entrepreneurship by providing access to mentorship, learning platforms, networking and funding opportunities.
TiE works to promote entrepreneurship globally through its five core pillars: mentoring, networking, education, funding and incubation. It is committed to strengthening the cycle of wealth creation and community contribution, while enabling and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs. Today, TiE has over 11,000 members, including more than 2,500 charter members, with 60 chapters across 17 countries, and continues to be a strong platform for founders and startup leaders worldwide.
