The new platform aims to democratize access to credible data on startups, investors, and government schemes, empowering entrepreneurs across India.

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has unveiled a pioneering initiative, ‘Startups for All,’ to address one of the most persistent challenges in India’s entrepreneurial landscape—access to reliable and structured information.

Developed by the Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST) at IIT Madras in collaboration with its incubated venture YNOS, the platform seeks to democratise access to verified data on startups, investors, incubators, banks, and government schemes. The launch took place during the Tamil Nadu Global Startup Summit in Chennai, with Palanivel Thiagarajan, Minister for IT and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, officiating the event.

The platform currently features a comprehensive database that includes over 2.75 lakh startups, 15,000 angel investors, 5,500 venture capital firms, 1,400 incubators, 800 banks, and 110 government support schemes. By consolidating this extensive information, ‘Startups for All’ aims to eliminate the information asymmetry that often impedes the growth and visibility of early-stage enterprises.

“Access to accurate and up-to-date data is critical for informed decision-making. With ‘Startups for All,’ we aim to level the playing field, ensuring that entrepreneurs from every corner of India—whether in metropolitan cities or smaller towns—can access the same quality of information,” said Prof. Thillai Rajan, Principal Investigator at CREST, IIT Madras.

Unlike traditional subscription-based models, the platform introduces an inclusive pay-as-you-go system supported by free initial credits, allowing users to explore verified datasets affordably. This approach makes the platform accessible to students, early-stage entrepreneurs, and institutions seeking reliable insights into India’s dynamic startup ecosystem.

Experts believe the initiative will have far-reaching implications by fostering transparency, inclusivity, and innovation. It will also provide valuable resources for researchers, policymakers, and investors to analyse trends, design data-driven policies, and discover emerging opportunities across regions.

While the platform’s success will depend on continuous data updates and active user adoption, ‘Startups for All’ marks a significant milestone in IIT Madras’s ongoing efforts to strengthen India’s innovation infrastructure.

With the country now home to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing startup ecosystems, this initiative is set to play a transformative role in bridging the information divide and empowering the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs.