Mentorship to shape India’s next gen startups from smaller towns: Minister

India has moved decisively from a situation of limited access to science education to a stage where opportunities are increasingly “democratised”, allowing talent from smaller towns and modest backgrounds to aspire for entrepreneurship, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said.

He underlined that mentorship, and not funding alone, will shape the next generation of StartUps. The minister emphasised the need for stronger mentorship, greater risk-taking in re-search and early handholding of young innovators, as he interacted with entrepreneurs and stu-dents at the India International Science Festival (IISF) here.

Speaking during a panel discussion, Dr Singh said the government’s focus has shifted from mere policy intent to building supportive ecosystems that connect ideas to markets.

He pointed out that sustained efforts under the science and technology ministries have helped create structured platforms such as BIRAC, national missions and sector-specific programmes, which link startups with funding, industry partners and mentoring. Emphasising that innovation inevitably involves failure, he said India must learn to recognise and accept risk in research and development if startups are to scale and compete globally.

The minister highlighted how advances in science have transformed everyday life in India, citing progress in healthcare technologies and biotechnology that were once accessible only abroad.