CHIEF Minister Dr Mohan Yadav emphasised the crucial role of youth and innovation in nation-building, while addressing the two-day Madhya Pradesh Startup Summit-2026 at Ravindra Bhavan on Monday. Highlighting India’s rich history of enterprise, entrepreneurship and commerce, he said, Madhya Pradesh is a land of emerging opportunities, and young innovators are driving the state and nation towards new directions.

 

Dr Yadav underlined the contribution of India’s over 6 crore MSMEs, which account for more than 30 percent of the national GDP and nearly 45 per cent of exports, and praised the country’s start-up ecosystem, now the third largest in the world. He said that the State Government is committed to promoting innovation and providing financial and institutional support to start-ups. During the summit, financial incentives exceeding Rs 2.5 crore were transferred to 156 start-ups, while loan assistance of over Rs 8.17 crore was provided to 21 start-ups under the Chief Minister Udyam Kranti Yojana. Long-term MoUs were signed with organisations including the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Central Bank of India, Karvy Start-up Labs, and Start-up Middle East.

 

Dr Yadav also released a booklet showcasing successful Madhya Pradesh start-ups and provided bank loans and investment assistance to founders under the state’s start-up schemes. Recalling India’s scientific heritage, the Chief Minister highlighted the pioneering work of Dr Jagadish Chandra Bose and stressed that today, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, start-ups and research in India are receiving unprecedented support.

 

Over 2,200 start-ups are now operating in Indore alone, reflecting the growing culture of innovation in the state. MSME Minister Chaitanya Kashyap highlighted Swami Vivekananda’s vision in inspiring youth, while Chief Secretary Anurag Jain emphasised how start-up policies and initiatives like Start-up India and StandUp India have empowered young

 

 entrepreneurs to become job creators. Raghavendra Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion, shared that Madhya Pradesh has over 6,500 registered start-ups, with more than 3,100 led by women, and plans to grow the number to 10,000. The summit also featured an exhibition of start-ups at Ravindra Bhavan, which Dr Yadav inaugurated, reviewing innovations and congratulating founders. State-level awards were presented to entrepreneurs across categories including Best Young Entrepreneur, Best Woman Entrepreneur, Best Growth Start-up, Best Innovation Startup, and Best Rural Start-up.

 

Hackathon winners were also recognised in the Code It, Build It and Ship It categories. The Chief Minister lauded the talent and determination of young entrepreneurs, stating that with their energy and innovations, India is on track to becoming the third-largest and eventually the numb