Startup Bharat 2.0: DPIIT Fuels Gaming, Women Founders & Global Scale

After turning India Inc. into active startup builders — as we explored in “India Inc. Is Now Building Startups—And DPIIT Is Leading the Charge” — DPIIT is now venturing into bold new frontiers, powering the rise of gaming startups, women-led ventures, and global-ready innovations. With 60+ MoUs inked in just six months — many involving India’s legacy sectors as outlined in “From Manufacturing to Mobility—How India’s Industrial Backbone Is Powering Startup Bharat” — DPIIT has taken a definitive leap from policy enabler to ecosystem architect.

How DPIIT’s MoUs Are Fueling India’s Game-Tech Revolution

Gaming in India is no longer just about mobile apps and leisure. It’s a serious innovation vertical—and DPIIT is ensuring game-tech startups receive the institutional support they need.

Through MoUs with platforms like WinZO and Games24x7, DPIIT has positioned gaming at the heart of India’s next startup surge.

• WinZO’s Bharat Tech Triumph has selected 20 homegrown developers to showcase at GDC San Francisco and WAVES India.
• These startups are receiving global stage access, mentorship, full sponsorship, and potential funding opportunities.
• DPIIT and WinZO are co-developing a Center of Excellence to train 2,000+ game-tech startups, enabling India’s participation in the $300 billion global gaming market.

Games24x7, through its TechXpedite Accelerator, is partnering with Maharashtra’s Industries Department to support gaming, AI, and inclusive tech startups. The program offers $500K in tech credits, mentorship from 30+ partners, and exposure to global investors.

These initiatives reflect a strategic shift: gaming is no longer a fringe sector—it is being treated with the same priority as fintech and mobility, thanks to DPIIT’s new playbook.

Women Entrepreneurs Take Centre Stage in Startup Bharat

Inclusion isn’t an add-on anymore—it’s embedded in the startup pipeline. DPIIT’s MoUs are actively shaping platforms where women founders thrive.

• Amazon Saheli, supported by DPIIT and Startup India, enables women founders to onboard easily onto Amazon’s marketplace, with benefits like personalized training, reduced fees, and dedicated marketing support.
• Deloitte Startup Studio 2025, in collaboration with SAP Labs and Arise Ventures, backs women-led ventures across sectors like agri-tech, CPG, and healthcare.
• Startups like AgriPilot.ai and MedySeva, led by women, are solving high-impact problems with access to funding, mentorship, and institutional networks.
• Flipkart Leap Ahead, though sector-agnostic, is actively sourcing and scaling women-led D2C brands from across the country.

“India’s startup story is no longer limited to metros or mainstream tech. Through our MoU strategy, DPIIT is enabling creators, communities, and entrepreneurs from every corner of Bharat to innovate, scale globally, and build for the future.”
— Sanjiv Singh, Secretary, DPIIT

This is a structural shift. DPIIT is no longer treating gender inclusion as an afterthought—it is building it into the core of its MoU-led innovation pipelines.

DPIIT Helps Indian Startups Go Global with Strategic Support

India’s startups are no longer just local problem solvers—they are emerging as global IP creators. DPIIT’s MoU ecosystem is enabling founders to scale internationally, with support systems designed for cross-border growth.

• Amazon’s Smbhav Venture Fund ($350 million) backs Indian startups building globally scalable solutions in AI, manufacturing, and digital commerce.
• Shiprocket’s RocketFuel program supports D2C brands with international logistics integration, allowing them to enter global markets with ease.
• Plug and Play Tech Center, a DPIIT-backed global innovation hub, connects Indian startups with Fortune 500 companies and investors across Silicon Valley, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Whether it's showcasing at GDC in the U.S., pitching at Startup Mahakumbh, or launching at WAVES India, DPIIT-backed startups are gaining international visibility, funding access, and strategic partnerships.

The New Blueprint: Inclusion, Innovation, and Internationalisation

Across all three editions of this TICE News special series, a consistent framework has emerged. DPIIT is driving a startup movement anchored on three pillars:

• Inclusion: Women-led, regional, and impact-first startups
• Innovation: Deeptech, manufacturing, game-tech, fintech
• Internationalisation: Global scale-ups, pilot access, visibility

These initiatives are not ceremonial. They are co-designed launchpads, executed with industry leaders and aligned with India’s broader digital, economic, and industrial goals.

DPIIT’s MoUs Are Building the Future of India’s Startup State

What began as a regulatory framework has matured into a national startup movement. DPIIT’s MoUs are now acting as launchpads for India’s most promising founders—from gaming studios in Lucknow to medtech ventures in Bhubaneswar and D2C brands in Jaipur.

The Startup State is no longer aspirational. It’s operational.
And DPIIT, with India Inc., is building it—sector by sector, city by city, and founder by founder.