Gurgaon: From the academic session 2025–26, Haryana govt will organise entrepreneurship competitions in every district, with selected teams receiving financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to convert their ideas into business models. Early-stage start-ups will be provided seed capital of Rs 10 lakh, while the HSIIDC will develop incubation centres in all industrial model townships (IMTs), offering affordable workspaces to start-ups.Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the measures on Wednesday during a pre-budget consultation with stakeholders from the IT, ITeS and start-up sectors in Gurgaon. This was the fifth such consultation being held by the CM ahead of the state budget.Addressing the gathering, Saini said young innovators and start-ups were playing a key role in shaping Haryana’s economy. “A start-up begins as an idea, like a small seed, which can grow into a large tree with the right support,” he said.During the interaction, start-up founders urged the govt to improve the ease of doing business by introducing a district-level single-window system for approvals and permissions, strengthening funding mechanisms, and providing greater technical support. Suggestions were also made to create a dedicated fund for start-ups working in deep-tech sectors and to modify govt tender norms to enable participation from start-ups.Welcoming the proposals, the CM said the suggestions would be considered for incorporation in the upcoming budget. “No matter how small an idea may be, if it has strength and vision, it does not take long to change the world,” he said.Further, the CM announced that IMT Manesar will be developed as a ‘zero water waste’ industrial area. He also said an environment training centre will be set up in Manesar to support environmental conservation efforts and promote environment-focused technology start-ups.The CM said the number of start-ups in India has grown from around 500 to over 2 lakh in the past decade, with Haryana — particularly Gurgaon and Manesar — playing a significant role in this growth. The state currently has over 9,500 start-ups and ranks seventh nationally, with 19 unicorns emerging from Haryana, most of them based in Gurgaon.He also highlighted measures taken to promote research in colleges and universities, including the establishment of the Haryana State Research Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 20 crore, and a Fund of Funds worth Rs 2,000 crore.
