Kumar Bahukhandi
In a visionary initiative showcasing India’s vibrant startup ecosystem, PayU today debuted ‘Startup Republic’ – a nationwide Republic Day campaign championing entrepreneurial excellence across all 36 states and union territories. Marking #10YearsOfStartupIndia, this flagship endeavour celebrates startup culture, nurtures an inclusive innovation ecosystem, and reveals the profound depth of India’s entrepreneurial prowess.
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PayU’s Startup Republic campaign launches with a 120-second hero film capturing the collective spirit of India’s entrepreneurial republic, followed by a series of 36 five-minute documentary films
India’s startup landscape, as of December 31, 2025, boasts more than 2 lakh DPIIT-recognized startups, spanning D2C and diverse business verticals, that have generated employment for over 2.1 million people, with women representation in leadership roles (as directors or partners) exceeding 45%.
The initiative includes showcasing entrepreneurs from DPIIT-registered startups located in emerging entrepreneurial hubs outside the metros, highlighting narratives from geographically underrepresented regions. Through this inclusive strategy, entrepreneurial achievements from India’s varied territories gain nationwide recognition and visibility through a unified story of national progress.
The campaign launches with a 120-second hero film capturing the collective spirit of India’s entrepreneurial republic, followed by a series of 36 five-minute documentary films. Spanning diverse segments including lifestyle, travel, health, FMCG, and others, these films represent the true breadth of India’s entrepreneurial republic. Each film profiles a founder from a different state or union territory, offering an intimate look at their journey, challenges and aspirations. Rolling out across PayU’s social channels starting January 23rd ahead of Republic Day celebrations, these stories demonstrate how India’s startup ecosystem embodies the ‘Made in India, built for the world’ ethos reshaping the nation’s economic landscape.
“The next decade of India’s digital economy will be built by founders who understand local consumers deeply and scale with global ambition. At PayU, we believe India’s greatest asset is its entrepreneurial spirit. Startup Republic celebrates entrepreneurs actively writing India’s future through authentic storytelling, because innovation has no zip code in India and real nation-building happens when founders from Ladakh to Lakshadweep see that their dreams matter. This initiative reflects where India is headed, not just where it stands today,” said Vineet Sethi, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer, PayU.
“Under Startup India, India’s startup ecosystem is moving beyond scale to focus on depth and genuine impact. With innovation reaching every state and union territory, entrepreneurship is becoming a powerful nation-building force. Initiatives like Startup Republic showcase these diverse success stories, proving that India’s innovation economy is growing well beyond the metros,” said Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
This campaign celebrates D2C startups, an integral segment of PayU’s merchant ecosystem, bringing these nation-builders into the spotlight during India’s most significant patriotic moment. Under an MoU with DPIIT, PayU is working with Startup India to empower startups across India—not just in metro cities—by delivering tailored payment solutions, mentorship, exclusive community access, and fundraising opportunities to support growth at every stage.
PayU also runs InFiNity, India’s leading fintech accelerator, which has enabled 60 startups across two cohorts with 1:1 mentorship, partnership opportunities, and over $5 million in investments, translating founder innovation into real scale.
Watch the film: youtu.be/pw0gGHXj9zc
About PayU
PayU, India’s leading diversified fintech platform with Prosus as an investor, operates businesses that are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India and offers advanced solutions to meet the digital financial services needs of customers (merchants, banks, and consumers).
PayU provides payment gateway solutions to online businesses through its cutting-edge and award-winning technology and has empowered 4.5 lakhs+ businesses, including India’s leading enterprises, e-commerce giants and SMBs. It enables businesses to collect digital payments across 100+ online payment methods such as Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Net Banking, EMIs, pay-later, QR, UPI, Wallets, and more. It’s a preferred partner in the affordability ecosystem, offering the maximum coverage of issuers and easy-to-implement integrations across card-based EMIs, pay-later options, and new-age cardless EMIs. PayU offers e-commerce brands best-in-industry success rates while ensuring a seamless checkout experience.
About Startup India
Launched on 16 January 2016, Startup India is a sector-agnostic flagship initiative of the Government of India aimed at building a strong, resilient, and inclusive startup ecosystem across the country. Anchored by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the initiative works to catalyse a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by enabling startups through progressive policy reforms, ease of doing business measures, access to funding, incubation and mentorship support, and market linkages.
The startup movement, ignited by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has transformed India into one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation hubs. From approximately 500 startups in 2016, the ecosystem has expanded to over 2 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups spanning diverse sectors and geographies, including a significant presence from Tier II and Tier III cities. Startup India continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing homegrown innovation, fostering job creation, promoting inclusive economic growth, and strengthening India’s position as a global startup destination.
