Union Minister Jitendra Singh called on the Tamil Nadu government to work closely with the Center on Saturday, pointing out that even with great advancements, the state’s startup ecosystem still has a ton of unrealized potential.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences spoke at the opening of the two-day Research, Industry, Start-up and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave here. He emphasized the country’s rapid expansion in this field, which has seen over 2 lakh startups today, up from 350 in 2014.
“There is still a lot of unrealized potential despite Tamil Nadu’s 34,000 registered businesses. To boost innovation-driven entrepreneurship, we must establish an enabling environment, especially in tier-II and tier-III cities,” Singh stated.
Noting that startups have already produced over 21 lakh jobs nationwide, he urged young people in development hotspots like Chennai and Coimbatore to take advantage of central measures to expand their businesses.
Singh cited the installation of the’sengold in the new Parliament building as a symbol of respect for Tamil tradition, underscoring the union government’s emphasis on the state.
Additionally, he enumerated the state’s central welfare accomplishments, such as the running of eight Vande Bharat Express trains, the construction of 12 lakh homes with government help, and 40 lakh Ujjwala connections.
At the event, the minister officially opened the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Center of Excellence in Kanchipuram.
To strengthen cooperation, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) also exchanged umbrella Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with a number of academic institutions and incubation centers.
N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), and M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, also spoke at the conclave, which drew representatives from more than 120 institutions.
The authorities underscored the government’s dedication to guaranteeing the smooth dissemination of breakthroughs from state-funded labs to the general public and business sector.
The minister later told reporters that the government has launched a Rs 1 lakh crore RDI (Research, Development, and Innovation) fund to boost private sector entrepreneurs, particularly those at Technology Readiness Level 4, in a major push for India’s deep-tech sector.
Singh denied rumors of delays or cancelation of India’s space missions, saying ISRO’s credibility and confidence are still intact. He affirmed that there will be 18 premieres this year, with six private parties taking part.
According to Singh, a crucial preliminary robo-flight delivering the female robot Vyommitra is anticipated to occur by the end of this year, while the Gaganyaan mission is scheduled for 2027. He added that a relaunch of the PSLV might occur as early as June or July 2026.
Singh added that these conclaves are being organized in Hyderabad, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Lucknow, among other places, to make sure that young people everywhere have access to knowledge regarding enabling schemes.
