Delhi Startup Policy promises inclusive, women-focused incentives

The draft Delhi Startup Policy promises a range of incentives for women entrepreneurs and women-led startups, including mentorship from industry experts and 100 per cent reimbursement for exhibition stall and rental costs at national and international startup events.

The Delhi government has released a draft of the Delhi Startup Policy 2025 to seek feedback from stakeholders.

Delhi Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the policy will guarantee priority access and higher reimbursements for women entrepreneurs and marginalised communities, with enhanced ceilings of Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 11 lakh for women-led enterprises to spur inclusive growth.

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Additionally, the women entrepreneurs will get curated mentorship from industry leaders, CAs and legal experts.

“Innovation knows no gender or social boundaries. Our policy specifically encourages women entrepreneurs and members of marginalised communities to participate in the startup revolution. We believe diversity drives innovation, and our incentive structure reflects this commitment,” the minister added.

The draft of the policy states that women would be eligible for 100 per cent reimbursement towards the exhibition cost. The said reimbursement will be up to Rs 5 lakh for domestic events and Rs 11 lakh for international events once a year.

“This policy marks a paradigm shift in how we approach innovation and entrepreneurship in Delhi,” Sirsa said.

The revolutionary policy represents the Delhi government’s most ambitious entrepreneurial initiative, targeting the establishment and facilitation of at least 5,000 startups over the next decade.

Under the policy, a dedicated Rs 200 crore Delhi Startup Venture Capital Fund will deploy equity and structured-debt instruments to bankroll high-potential ventures, while the government crowd-sources additional private money through co-investment pacts.

The policy encompasses 18 strategic focus areas, including healthcare services, fintech, artificial intelligence, machine learning, green technology, biotechnology, robotics and automation, e-waste management, and emerging energy solutions like hydrogen technology.

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Beyond capital, the policy underwrites core expenses — it reimburses 100 per cent of lease rentals up to Rs 10 lakh a year for three years, covers intellectual-property filings up to Rs 1 lakh for Indian and Rs 3 lakh for international applications.

To cushion early-stage burn, every recognised startup also receives a flat operational allowance of Rs 2 lakh per month for twelve months, freeing founders to focus on building category-defining products.

“We have structured this policy to address every critical challenge that startups face in their initial years,” Sirsa said.

The policy establishes a robust governance framework through three key institutions — the Startup Policy Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Commissioner of Industries, a specialised Startup Task Force with 85 per cent private-sector experts, and a dedicated nodal agency that will run a new Delhi Startup Portal, offering single-window registration, incentives, grievance redressal and KPI tracking.