Bhubaneswar, Jan 16 (FN Representative) Odisha retained the top performer position in the DPIIT State Startup Ranking 2022. This accolade was unveiled by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal, at a distinguished felicitation ceremony held on Tuesday in New Delhi. The 4th edition of the State Startup Ranking, conducted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), aimed to fortify the collaborative efforts of States and Union Territories (UTs) in fostering comprehensive and vibrant startup ecosystems. The State Startup Ranking Framework 2022 was meticulously crafted as a robust and results-driven initiative, intending to catalyse significant advancements in every state and UT.
The evaluation process involved a thorough assessment of responses across various parameters. A total of 25 action points were used to map a combination of absolute, relative, and feedback-based grading in order to give a comprehensive picture of the state’s or support UT’s distinctive startup environment. The framework encouraged 31 states and union territories to work towards reducing regulations for the expansion of startups and strengthening support for the startup ecosystem. This exercise, launched in 2018, awarded Odisha the title of “Top Performer” for its support of the startup ecosystem in 2019 and in the State Startup Ranking 2021. Odisha took a leap yet again to be accorded the Top Performer position for instituting inclusive and holistic policies and schemes to develop entrepreneurs across every corner of the state. In 2022, Odisha also retained its position of ‘Top Performers’, which is a testament to the state’s progressive initiatives for empowering the young talent who aspire to become entrepreneurs.
Startup Odisha Executive Chairman Dr. Omkar Rai said, “Odisha’s retention of the ‘Top Performer’ status in the DPIIT State Startup Rankings 2022 is a testament to our unwavering commitment. Odisha, he said, is wholeheartedly dedicated to creating a conducive environment with a new startup policy that is under consideration, aligning with global best practices, focusing on ESG factors, and promoting women’s entrepreneurship. Startup Odisha has nurtured over 1,800 start-ups across agritech, IT, artificial intelligence, healthcare, fintech, and biotechnology sectors, of which 42 percent are women-led startups. Rai said Startup Odisha is on its way to foster at least 5,000 startups by 2025. The state hosts 27 incubators, and among them is O-Hub, the Government of Odisha’s incubator, featuring an expansive four lakh sq ft space—one of the largest incubators in the entire country.