Hyderabad Takes Center Stage in India’s Startup Job Story

The Indian white-collar job market has a new rising star, and it’s not Bengaluru or Delhi-NCR. Hyderabad is fast emerging as the country’s hottest hub for startup hiring, riding high on a wave of unicorn growth and a record surge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) roles, according to the latest Naukri JobSpeak report for August.

While overall hiring activity in India grew a modest 3% year-on-year, Hyderabad stole the spotlight with a remarkable 45% jump in startup recruitment, making it the most vibrant metro in terms of job creation. For a city long known as the “City of Pearls” and the country’s pharmaceutical capital, this transformation into a digital-first, startup-driven job magnet signals a shift in the future of work.

AI: The Game-Changer in Hiring

If there was one headline-grabbing figure in August, it was the 54% growth in AI/ML roles. Companies are racing to hire talent with advanced tech skills as AI becomes the backbone of everything from healthcare and finance to education and logistics.

“Two key trends stood out in August: the continued momentum of non-IT sectors and Hyderabad's rise as the hub for startup hiring,” said Dr. Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.com.

This AI boom is not confined to IT corridors alone. Startups in Hyderabad, buoyed by investor confidence and unicorn expansions, are absorbing tech talent at an unprecedented rate—reshaping the city’s job market and challenging Bengaluru’s long-standing dominance.

Non-IT Sectors Power Ahead

Interestingly, while IT/Software Services hiring dipped by 6% and Telecom slid by 13%, non-IT sectors surged ahead:

• Insurance: +24%

• Hospitality/Travel: +22%

• Real Estate: +18%

• BPO/ITES: +17%

• Education: +16%

Hospitality in particular stood out with a 44% spike in fresher hiring, signaling the sector’s revival as travel and tourism regain momentum. Real estate too maintained strong hiring activity, led by southern hubs Chennai (+22%) and Hyderabad (+18%).

Hiring wasn’t just limited to entry-level positions. The market showed encouraging demand for:

• Freshers: +7% YoY growth, especially in hospitality, education, and real estate.

• Senior professionals (16+ years’ experience): +8% growth, largely in Oil & Gas and Healthcare.

This dual demand signals a more balanced job ecosystem—where both young aspirants and seasoned experts are finding opportunities.

Emerging Cities Make Their Mark

Beyond the metros, smaller cities are scripting their own hiring story. Jaipur (+26%) and Kochi (+16%) showed strong traction in fresher recruitment, hinting at a broad-based job recovery spreading into Tier-2 hubs.

The Naukri JobSpeak index—derived from recruiter activity and job listings—captures the shifting sands of India’s white-collar employment landscape. The August trends reveal two undeniable truths:

1. Non-IT industries are now at the forefront of job creation.

2. Advanced tech roles, especially in AI/ML, are rewriting the rules of hiring.

And at the heart of it all stands Hyderabad—no longer just a challenger to Bengaluru, but arguably the new nerve center of India’s startup hiring boom.

As the sun rises on September mornings, young professionals scanning job portals may find themselves drawn not to the traditional IT hubs, but to the bustling, innovation-driven ecosystem of Hyderabad. The city, it seems, has cracked the code for India’s next wave of jobs.