Tamil Nadu Expands Startup Push With New Investments, Rural Initiatives
- Tamil Nadu has invested ₹70 crore across 205 startups over four years and allocated another ₹20 crore for the current fiscal year.
- StartupTN will expand with a new hub in Thoothukudi and launch a rural entrepreneurship initiative to establish startups in 100 villages.
Over the past four years, Tamil Nadu has invested nearly ₹70 crore across 205 startups through various entrepreneurship development programmes, State MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan announced on Thursday.
Speaking at The Hindu Tamil Nadu Startup Summit 2025 in Chennai, the minister said an additional ₹20 crore has been allocated for startups in the current fiscal year.
Highlighting the government’s efforts to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Anbarasan said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had initiated the professionalisation of the State’s startup agency, StartupTN, by appointing a dedicated CEO.
StartupTN currently operates ten regional hubs across cities such as Chennai, Madurai, Erode, and Coimbatore. A new hub focused on space technology, ports, and logistics startups is expected to open in Thoothukudi this fiscal year.
The minister also introduced a new initiative aimed at promoting rural entrepreneurship.
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“The State is set to select 100 villages and nurture one start-up in every village,” he said, referring to the government’s ‘one start-up in every village’ programme.
In addition, Anbarasan noted that the Deputy Chief Minister would launch the logo and website for the upcoming Global Startup Summit on Friday.
Atul Anand, Additional Chief Secretary of the MSME Department, underlined Tamil Nadu's diverse startup landscape at the summit.
“One of the reasons [for Tamil Nadu’s success] is our multisectoral approach. It is a rich mix that will make Tamil Nadu the hub of the start-up ecosystem,” he said.
Anand pointed to the State’s growing expertise in sectors such as software services, medical tourism, agriculture startups, drones, AI, and deep tech.
The event witnessed participation from government officials, industry leaders, academic institutions, and startup community members. Among the speakers were A.R. Unnikrishnan, Chairman of CII Tamil Nadu State Council and Managing Director of Saint-Gobain India Private Ltd (Glass Group); C. Muthamizhchelvan, Vice-Chancellor of SRM Institute of Science and Technology; and Sivarajah Ramanathan, Mission Director and CEO of the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
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