Mentorship important to help startups stay on course: Minister

Describing start-ups as a key driver of India’s future growth, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, underlined that mentorship and not funding alone, will shape the next generation of startups.

Interacting with entrepreneurs and students during a panel discussion on “Startup Journeys” at the India International Science Festival here today, he stressed upon the need for stronger mentorship, greater risk-taking in research and early handholding of young innovators.

Stressing on the importance of clarity of purpose and aptitude before launching a start-up, he said mentoring at an early stage was crucial to help young innovators understand their strengths, refine ideas and avoid common pitfalls.

He said India had 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. He said the government’s focus has shifted from mere policy intent to building supportive ecosystems that connect ideas to markets.

The minister said 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.