Mumbai, April 21, 2025: In a landmark step towards building an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal today launched The Bharat Project, a bold national initiative by YourStory, aimed at empowering 1 million entrepreneurs from Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural India. The Bharat Project brings together the government, ecosystem enablers, creators, and communities to unlock grassroots potential and make access to entrepreneurial tools, education, and funding easier for everyone.
Built on five key pillars, the Bharat Project will aid entrepreneurs through – Co-Pilot for Entrepreneurs—an AI-powered mobile-first platform that offers startup guidance, learning resources, mentorship access, and success stories in both Hindi and English, Education & Upskilling, which will drive state-level and district-level activations and WhatsApp-based learning to help young people learn how to start and grow their businesses, Bharat Ideathon, – a nationwide challenge that will find great business ideas from over 1,000 districts and help top founders with mentorship and visibility, BharatSparks – a launchpad where selected entrepreneurs from smaller towns will get a chance to pitch to investors, win grants, and build long-term support and Shuru-kar – a 7-part web documentary series that will showcase real startup stories from across regions, featuring innovators, investors, and policymakers.
Speaking at the launch, Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal said, “India is on an irreversible path to becoming an economic powerhouse. From a $4 trillion economy today, we are poised to grow 8x to $30–35 trillion by 2047. It’s a strategic roadmap built to support startups across sectors, empowering first-generation entrepreneurs, and a government-backed seed fund of ₹10,000 crore to democratize innovation.
He further added, the launch of The Bharat Project is a bold step forward that brings together technology, mentorship, and funding to help entrepreneurs from every corner of the country rise. India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is not just evolving, it is becoming the engine of inclusive and sustained national growth. The goal is clear: empower youth, support startups, and make sure every aspiring entrepreneur has the ecosystem they need to start, scale, and succeed.
The initiative comes at a time when 65% of India’s population lives in Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural areas. There are over 370 million youth between the ages of 15 and 30, and 30% of them are NEET—meaning they’re not in education, employment, or training. Even though there is so much potential, many of them still don’t have access to capital, mentors, or the right exposure. The Bharat Project is here to change that—by turning isolated talent into a strong, national movement.
“India’s future is not limited to metros. It’s brewing in the kitchens, backyards, and streets of Bharat. The Bharat Project is a step towards ensuring that every aspiring entrepreneur has access to resources, stories, and support to turn their idea into impact.”, said Shradha Sharma, Founder & CEO, YourStory.
The launch event took place at Radisson Goregaon, Mumbai, and was attended by a packed audience of founders, students, creators, and ecosystem leaders. The event also featured startup showcases, inspiring youth stories from across Bharat, and the official unveiling of The Bharat Project platform.
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