
Number of startups in India to double to 2.4 lakh by 2030: Report
startups projected to double from 1.2 lakh in 2023 to 2.4 lakh by 2030, as per a report by executive search firm Longhouse, The Times of India said.
This growth is expected to drive a surge in high-value enterprises, with the number of unicorns, or startups valued at over $1 billion, likely to increase from 120 currently to 280 by the end of the decade. The expansion is also expected to significantly impact employment, with startups contributing to both direct and indirect job creation across key sectors.
Startup-led employment to touch 50 million
The report estimates that the startup ecosystem could generate as many as 50 million jobs by 2030. Of these, four to five million will be direct white-collar roles, another nine to 10 million will come from the gig economy, and an estimated 35 to 40 million will be indirect jobs across industries.
«A significant portion of these jobs will emerge from newer startups rather than just expansion in existing companies. As India moves from 120 unicorns today to an expected 280 by 2030, most of the employment growth will come from companies that are scaling up rapidly in emerging sectors like AI, SaaS, clean tech, and fintech,» said Rohit Srivastava, senior partner, Longhouse.
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Founder dynamics
The report also highlighted a shift in the startup founder demographic, pointing to a rise in experience-led entrepreneurship. Between 2020 and 2024, around 40% of unicorn founders had 10 to 15 years of prior work experience, up from 26% during the 2008 to 2013 period.