Delhi Cabinet approves ₹50 crore Go-Delhi Foundation for startups

The Delhi Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Go-Delhi Foundation, backing the new initiative with an initial budget of ₹50 crore to supercharge the capital's startup ecosystem and foster innovation.

Chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Cabinet cleared the proposal to set up the foundation as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. Operating under the Delhi government's Department of Industries, the body will act as an integrated platform connecting young entrepreneurs, researchers, higher education institutions, industry leaders and investors.

What the Go-Delhi Foundation will offer

Delhi currently hosts nearly 21,000 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The Go-Delhi Foundation will provide these ventures and local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with technical and commercial support at every stage of growth.

Key facilities and services planned under the foundation include:

• Product engineering and prototyping assistance
• Access to specialized laboratories and testing facilities
• Intellectual property rights guidance
• Business incubation and technical mentorship
• Direct linkages to venture capital and private investors

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between early-stage concepts and market-ready products, helping students and researchers take practical solutions out of laboratories and into commercial markets.

Solving real-world governance challenges

Under the platform, Delhi government departments will also post real-world urban and operational challenges directly to local innovators. Startups will be able to design solutions and test them through government-backed pilot projects. Successful technologies will then be considered for wider civic adoption.

This framework gives state departments access to emerging technologies while offering startups a structured pathway to demonstrate real-world utility and scale their businesses.

Building on Delhi's startup push

The creation of the Go-Delhi Foundation builds on the state government's multi-pronged push to establish Delhi as a global hub for entrepreneurship. In July, the government approved the ₹400-crore Delhi Start-up and Incubation Policy, which funds incubation centres across 11 state universities, 13 government-aided colleges, polytechnic institutes, ITIs and schools over five years.

Operational guidelines, eligibility criteria and application procedures for startups to access the Go-Delhi Foundation's facilities and funding will be issued by the Department of Industries in due course.