Startup India Grants Favor Connected Startups Over Genuine Innovators

My goal has always been to become an AI entrepreneur and build innovative technology that can create real impact. I come from a private college background, without elite institutional backing or influential connections. Despite that, I worked hard, developed a product, and won the summit in 2023 that led to my startup being selected for incubation and government funding support at IIT Delhi.

The funds were initially being released in phases, which gave us confidence that merit and innovation still mattered. But suddenly, we were informed that the grant had been canceled without proper transparency or accountability.

Later, I noticed a disturbing pattern: startups associated with IIT professors or influential networks received their funds much faster and more consistently, while founders like us from private colleges and without political or institutional backing were quietly sidelined.

It increasingly feels like major opportunities, contracts, and support systems are reserved for companies connected to powerful corporate groups, political influence, or local networks. What about ordinary people like us who simply want a fair chance to build something innovative?

The Startup India vision promises empowerment and innovation, but on the ground, many young founders experience favoritism, gatekeeping, and silent exclusion. This discourages genuine entrepreneurs who are trying to create value through talent and hard work instead of connections.

I was only 11 years old when I traveled to Delhi during the Lokpal Bill protests. Back then, I was too young to fully understand the fight against corruption. Today, after experiencing these systems firsthand, I finally understand why that movement mattered so much.