Maharashtra Emerges as India's Innovation Hub with 1.5 Lakh Startups and 25% Industrial Output
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 28 (ANI): Maharashtra, the economic powerhouse of India, contributes nearly 14 per cent to the country’s GDP and around 25 per cent of its industrial output. Cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur are at the forefront of driving growth in various sectors including fintech, deep-tech, manufacturing, engineering research, and startup incubation.
Supported by more than 1.5 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups, robust industrial infrastructure, and expanding investments, the state is strengthening its position as a major innovation and enterprise hub, according to P Anbalagan, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government of Maharashtra.
Speaking during the CII-HBNI Research Scholars’ Summit in Mumbai, Anbalagan highlighted the significance of the expanding innovation ecosystem in accelerating research-led entrepreneurship, employment generation, and global competitiveness. “Maharashtra today stands at the intersection of research, innovation, industry, and entrepreneurship. With a strong talent base, progressive policies, world-class institutions, and a rapidly expanding startup ecosystem, the state is creating an integrated innovation ecosystem where research is not confined to laboratories but translated into patents, enterprises, employment, and global competitiveness,” Anbalagan said.
He emphasized that the real strength of Maharashtra lies in its ability to connect knowledge with opportunity and innovation with impact. The summit brought together leaders from the government, industry, academia, startups, and research institutions to discuss mechanisms for strengthening innovation-led growth through deeper collaboration between academia and industry.
The sessions highlighted that providing mentorship, incubation support, funding access, and industry exposure for research scholars accelerates enterprise creation, skilled job generation, and technology-led economic growth. Participants stressed the necessity of building stronger partnerships between educational institutions, startups, and industry to develop future-ready talent and globally competitive enterprises.
Furthermore, the platform allowed industry leaders to engage with emerging research talent, identify scalable technologies, and explore innovation-driven collaborations with commercial and industrial potential. The inaugural session of the summit saw participation from several key dignitaries, including U. Kamachi Mudali, Vice Chancellor, Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), and Aarti Kuchibhatla, CII Maharashtra State Vice Chairperson.
Other prominent attendees included Bharat Agarwal, Chairman, CII WR Education Taskforce and President, Vishwakarma University; Alpa Antani, Regional Director, CII; and Martin Mascarenhas, Director, Beam Technology Development Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Chairman, Atal Incubation Centre, BARC Anushakti Foundation.
