The Go-Delhi Foundation has received approval from the Delhi government with a ₹50 crore corpus to support young innovators, startups and entrepreneurs in developing market-ready products.
The approval was granted at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, according to a Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) statement on Sunday.
The foundation aims to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in the capital by providing integrated support to researchers, young people and businesses. Delhi has nearly 21,000 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
The government has committed an initial budget outlay of ₹50 crore to establish the foundation. The initiative will focus on helping entrepreneurs develop enterprises, attract investment and create employment opportunities.
Go-Delhi Foundation to provide product development support
The foundation will help startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access product engineering, prototyping, laboratories and testing facilities.
It will also offer technical guidance, mentorship, incubation, business support and opportunities to connect with investors. These services are intended to help entrepreneurs move from early-stage ideas to market-ready products.
According to the CMO statement, the foundation will support businesses across different stages of development. This will include product development, testing, certification preparation and market access.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative would reduce entrepreneurs’ dependence on scattered facilities for different business requirements. It aims to make establishing and expanding enterprises in Delhi easier.
Startups to develop solutions for government departments
The Go-Delhi Foundation will also create opportunities for government departments to present practical challenges to Delhi’s innovators.
Gupta said startups could develop products and technologies to address these challenges. Departments would then be able to test potential solutions through pilot projects and consider adopting successful technologies.
The approach is intended to help government departments access new technologies while allowing startups to demonstrate their products in real-world applications.
The foundation will collaborate with industry, educational institutions, investors and other partners to support innovation and entrepreneurship.
Foundation to follow hub-and-spoke model
The foundation will adopt a hub-and-spoke model, delivering programmes through existing facilities and partner institutions across Delhi.
It will be established as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. The organisation will function under the Delhi government’s Department of Industries.
Through the proposed structure, the government aims to bring multiple startup support resources onto a common platform, covering technical development, business guidance and opportunities for commercialisation.
