Sreeram Viswanath

Expert

Published on: Sep 17, 2026

Startup Odisha

Startup Odisha is a transformative initiative by the Government of Odisha, capturing the essence of “A New Wave of Innovation.” This initiative seeks to establish a world-class startup hub in the state, offering incentives that surpass the Central Government's Startup Policy. This comprehensive article delves into the intricacies of the initiative.

Vision and Mission

The initiative's vision includes:

Propelling Odisha into the top three startup hubs in India through strategic partnerships, an enabling ecosystem, investments, and policy interventions.
Empowering women entrepreneurs by ensuring that at least 33% of the startups have female founders or co-founders.

The mission is dedicated to:

Establishing a holistic startup ecosystem that positions Odisha as one of India's top three startup destinations.
Providing a supportive regulatory framework and robust governance structure for hassle-free, timely statutory clearances and monitoring.

Objectives

The objectives of Startup Odisha encompass:

Creating a world-class startup hub in the state.
Encouraging incubators to align with the state's strengths and needs.
Offering skill-based training initiatives to inspire youth towards startups.
Inspiring Odisha-based companies to incorporate CSR initiatives for startup development.
Creating an environment that fosters the creation of at least 1,000 startups over five years.
Building a robust institutional framework for effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

Why Odisha?

Odisha stands out due to its:

Projected growth rate of 12%, making it one of India's fastest-growing economies as highlighted by Dun & Bradstreet.
Pioneering Single Window Clearance System.
Recognition as the educational hub of the East, with Bhubaneswar acknowledged by the World Bank as the third best Indian city for business.
Renowned entrepreneurial ecosystem and state-of-the-art industrial clusters.

Startup Ecosystem Development

The Government of Odisha has developed an ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, which includes:

Developing world-class physical infrastructure to support startups.
Encouraging innovation through academic interventions.
Institutionalizing an entrepreneurship culture with skill training.

Scope of Assistance

Startups will receive assistance through various means:

Monthly Allowance

Recognized startups will receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 20,000 for the first three months, with a utilization report required to continue this assistance for up to a year.

Assistance for Product Development and Marketing/Publicity

Up to Rs. 15 lakhs is available for startups who submit a justified product development plan. Assistance is split between an advance and reimbursement based on utilization.

Need-Based Assistance

This follows the same structure as product development assistance, requiring an approved plan and utilization certificates.

Subsidized Incubation

Subsidized incubation spaces in government incubators are available for recognized startups.

Assistance for Event Participation

Startups representing Odisha at national and international events will receive travel support and free stall space.

For Startups Headed by Certain Classes

Women, transgender, or socially categorized founders holding 50% equity in a startup are eligible for Rs. 22,000 monthly and Rs. 16 lakhs for product development.

Governance Structure

The policy relies on a three-tier governance structure:

Startup council led by the Chief Secretary
Task Force chaired by the Principal Secretary
Startup Secretariat at the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, Odisha (IED)

Registration for Recognition

To be recognized, startups must register online and provide necessary documents, including a DIPP Startup India recognition certificate or other substantial proofs of innovation.

Qualifying Conditions

To qualify under the Odisha Startup Policy, an entity must:

Be incorporated within the last 5 years.
Have an annual turnover not exceeding Rs. 25 crores.
Focus on innovative processes or services scalable for commercial success.
Register in Odisha or employ at least 50% of the workforce in Odisha.
Not be an extension of existing family businesses.

Applicability for Foreigners

Foreign nationals can engage with the Startup Odisha Program by aligning with FDI regulations through partnership under the LLP Act and should further register through MCA or Registrar of Firms to avail the benefits.

Internal Processing

The Nodal Agency assesses applications within two weeks, forwarding satisfactory ones to the Startup Secretariat. Meetings may occur within the first week. Results are emailed to applicants, and unsuccessful applications can reapply after three months.

Incubator Related Benefits

Eligible entities include universities, educational institutions, and government-recognized incubators operational for at least five years. For deeper insights on the startup ecosystem, you can also explore the Rajasthan Startup Policy.

Contact Info

For further queries, reach out to:

Institute of Entrepreneurship Development & Startup Secretariat
Sector-A, Zone-A, Plot no-123
Mancheswar Industrial Estate
Bhubaneswar-751010
Odisha
Contact No: (0674) 2585609 / 2587176 / 2587286
Fax: 2587176
(On all Working Days between 10am to 5pm)

Back to Learn

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Startup Odisha: Innovative Hub for Entrepreneurs.

The main goal of the Startup Odisha initiative is to develop a world-class "Startup Hub" in the state of Odisha by the year 2020. It aims to make Odisha rank among the top three startup hubs in India through strategic partnerships, a conducive ecosystem, investment, and policy interventions.

The Startup Odisha initiative aims to unleash the potential of women entrepreneurship in Odisha by promoting at least 33% of the startups with founders or co-founders as women.

The key objectives of the Startup Odisha initiative include developing a world-class startup hub in the state, encouraging incubators to align with the strengths and requirements of the state, rendering skill-based training to encourage youth to take up startups, creating a supportive environment for the creation of at least 1,000 startups in five years, and establishing a robust institutional framework for effective implementation and monitoring.

Odisha is considered a suitable destination for startups because it is one of India's fastest-growing economies, projected to grow at a rate of 12% by 2020. Additionally, Odisha is the pioneer of the Single Window Clearance System, known as an educational hub in the East, and its capital, Bhubaneswar, is acclaimed by the World Bank as the third-best Indian city to do business.

Recognized startups can avail of various types of assistance, including a monthly allowance, assistance for product development and marketing/publicity, need-based assistance, subsidized incubation space in government incubators, and assistance for event participation.

Yes, startups founded or co-founded by women, transgenders, or people belonging to socially disadvantaged categories like SC/ST/SEBC/PH will receive a higher monthly allowance of Rs. 22,000 (instead of Rs. 20,000) if they hold at least 50% equity in the startup entity. They are also eligible for Rs. 16 lakhs for product development and marketing/publicity assistance.

The Startup Odisha initiative has a three-tier governance structure, which includes a Startup Council headed by the Chief Secretary, a Task Force headed by the Principal Secretary, and a Startup Secretariat at the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, Odisha (IED).

A startup entity can register for recognition online by filling out a Startup Registration Form and submitting the required documents, such as the incorporation certificate and proof of innovation (e.g., patent, funding letter, or a write-up substantiating the innovative nature of the business).

Yes, foreign nationals can participate in the Startup Odisha program by forming a partnership under the LLP Act. Foreign funding must comply with FDI regulations. NRIs and PIOs can self-register through MCA or the Registrar of Firms and further register on the Startup Odisha Portal to avail of the benefits.

Incubators eligible for benefits under the Startup Odisha initiative include universities and educational institutions that have been in existence for at least five years, incubators recognized by the state or central government, and industry groups such as corporates, PSUs, or industrial units existing in Odisha for at least five years and building an incubator to support and mentor startups in the state.