Piyush Goyal introduces BHASKAR to centralise startup interactions

Goyal launches BHASKAR: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal unveiled the Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) on Monday, an initiative designed to centralise and streamline interactions within the startup ecosystem. BHASKAR aims to create a comprehensive digital hub where startups, investors, service providers, and government agencies can connect and collaborate effectively.

Goyal stressed the platform's role as a "one-stop shop" for data dissemination and stakeholder engagement, promising an intuitive and user-friendly experience. He highlighted that BHASKAR will serve as a central point of contact for startups seeking mentors, funding, and other resources.

Building startup registry

The primary objective of BHASKAR is to develop the world's largest digital registry for the startup community. The platform will offer features such as networking opportunities, centralised resource access, personalised identification, and enhanced visibility to support India's burgeoning startup sector on a global scale.

By bridging gaps between startups, investors, mentors, and other stakeholders, BHASKAR aims to boost seamless interactions and accelerate sector growth. Each participant will receive a unique BHASKAR ID to ensure personalised engagement and tailored support.

The platform’s robust search functionality will allow users to efficiently find relevant resources, partners, and opportunities, facilitating quicker decision-making and actions.

The initiative invites all stakeholders to join this transformative project, which is set to reshape India's startup landscape by fostering a more interconnected and efficient entrepreneurial environment.

India, with over 146,000 government-recognised startups, is rapidly emerging as a leading startup hub globally. BHASKAR seeks to harness this potential by offering a unified digital platform to address common challenges faced by entrepreneurs and investors.

Scaling startup numbers

Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), expressed the goal of scaling the number of startups to 5 million in the near future. He encouraged startups to actively participate in building the platform.

DPIIT Joint Secretary Sanjiv added that the initiative will further fortify the country's startup ecosystem, with a target of ensuring every district in India hosts at least one startup by January 16 of the coming year. 

The department has also approached over 100 corporates and unicorns to establish incubation centres for manufacturing startups and has provided a handbook on corporate incubation and acceleration.

(With PTI Inputs)