The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Info Edge (India) Ltd. to support and scale startups across India, focusing on Tier II and Tier III cities. The partnership aims to bridge gaps such as mentorship, funding access, and business infrastructure for early-stage founders who often lack the same resources as their urban counterparts.
The MoU was signed in the presence of DPIIT Joint Secretary Sanjiv Singh and Info Edge’s founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani. This collaboration aligns with the government’s broader Startup India mission, which has already recognized over 100,000 startups as part of its formal ecosystem. Info Edge, best known for its flagship platform Naukri.com, has become a quiet giant of the Indian internet economy.
The company has built digital infrastructure that connects millions of Indians every day through its various platforms, including jobs, matrimony, real estate, and education.
Indian startups find new momentum
With the DPIIT partnership, this infrastructure will be reimagined to serve India’s next-gen entrepreneurs.
Info Edge’s presence in 43 cities and 62 offices gives it a rare advantage of on-ground knowledge, which, paired with DPIIT’s policy framework, will help startups grow in places often left behind in the innovation conversation. Sanjeev Bikhchandani, a name synonymous with internet entrepreneurship in India, understands the importance of this shift. As someone who built one of India’s first successful internet companies from scratch in the pre-Jio era, his experience and his company’s digital muscle could be pivotal for grassroots startup growth.
Info Edge’s story is also one of international expansion, with naukrigulf.com operating across the Gulf region. However, this partnership signals a recommitment to strengthening its roots at home, balancing scale with inclusion. This initiative could become a template for other public-private models, as successful startups create jobs, solve problems, and contribute to economic growth.
The DPIIT-Info Edge alliance is about widening the circle of opportunity and ensuring that the next big startup could come from smaller towns across India.
