Tripura emerges as startup powerhouse, records 66 per cent growth over past five years

Tripura is fast becoming a major force in India’s startup landscape, posting an impressive 66 per cent average growth in startup recognitions over the past five years. The state’s progress was spotlighted at the Tamil Nadu Global Startup Summit 2025, held at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex in Coimbatore, where over Rs 100 crore in investment commitments were announced.

The event drew 71,000+ visitors and over 20 global startup stakeholders, underlining the growing momentum of India’s innovation ecosystem.

Organised by StartupTN, the summit provided a platform for investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to collaborate on strategies shaping India’s entrepreneurial future.

Delivering a keynote address, Jeya Ragul Geshan B, IFS, Director of IT, Government of Tripura, highlighted how the state has rapidly evolved into a regional leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Tripura stands at an important inflexion point. In alignment with the Prime Minister’s vision of a $5 trillion economy by 2028 and achieving Vikshit Bharat by 2047, we are determined to play a strategic role in India’s innovation-led growth story under the leadership of our Chief Minister, Manik Saha,” said Geshan.

He added that the state’s goal is to create an “Unnato and Shreshtho Tripura,” where entrepreneurship becomes a tool for inclusive prosperity. “While each state may be at a different stage of its startup journey, our common goal is to democratise innovation and extend opportunity to every corner of India, including smaller and border states like ours,” he said.

According to the Startup India report _Prabhaav: Startup India 9-Year Factbook (December 2024), Tripura leads in two significant areas — top-performing Tier 2/3 districts and the highest number of women-led startups in the Northeast. “These results prove that consistency, clarity, and collaboration can transform intent into impact,” Geshan noted.

Tripura was among the first Northeastern states to introduce a Startup Policy in 2019, establishing a foundation for sustained entrepreneurial growth. Recognised as a Category B – Leader in the Startup India State Ranking 2022, the state recently launched the Tripura Startup Policy 2024, backed by a Rs 50 crore fund for entrepreneurs. The new policy offers grants for student startups, incubators, and patent support to promote innovation.

Currently, Tripura hosts over 80 recognised startups and eight active incubators, including the ISRO-supported Space Tech Incubation Centre at NIT Agartala and the Tripura University Business Incubator. Together, these institutions form a growing ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs from idea to scale.

“Our goal is to blend IT with entrepreneurship, empowering every district with digital tools, startup resources, and market access,” Geshan said. “Tripura is not waiting for change; we are continuously building momentum, adding capacity, and moving decisively on the path of progress. Tripura may be small, but our intent is always BIG. Innovation does not need to be metro-centric — it needs to be mission-driven.”

With sustained policy support and growing investor confidence, Tripura is positioning itself as a model for how smaller states can drive innovation, inclusion, and economic transformation in India’s startup journey.