National Startup Day 2026 highlights India’s startup-driven future

Exam-focused facts from the 17 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

National Startup Day is observed every year on January 16 across the country.
India currently ranks as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, with over 1.59 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of early 2025.
DPIIT-recognised startups have generated over 16.6 lakh direct jobs across sectors as of October 31, 2024.