Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addresses the media on Cabinet decisions at National Media Centre in New Delhi on February 14, 2026.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addresses the media on Cabinet decisions at National Media Centre in New Delhi on February 14, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

The Cabinet has approved the second tranche of the Startup India Fund of Funds Scheme with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday (February 14, 2026).

The key focus would be on deep tech startups, early growth stage startups through smaller funds, tech-driven innovative manufacturing startups, and sector/stage agnostic startups, he added.

There will be operational flexibilities, including higher government contribution in AlFs (alternative investment funds) funding deep tech and high-tech manufacturing, the Minister said.

The Union Cabinet approved the scheme in a meeting on Friday (February 13).

The fund will encourage the long-term investing culture and patient capital.

The Government in 2016 had constituted a Fund of Funds worth ₹10,000 crore to provide seed capital and enable startups take calculated risks.

Following the successful utilisation of the first tranche, a second phase of ₹10,000 crore was sanctioned in the Union Budget for 2025-26.

So far, over 2 lakh entities are recognised as startups by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). These entities are eligible for incentives under the Startup India action plan.


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