Union minister for commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal on April 5 launched a dedicated “Startup India Desk” — a helpline number for emerging entrepreneurs in India, according to an official release from the ministry.
Piyush Goyal made the announcement while speaking at the Startup Mahakumbh 2025. As per the release, the helpline will be set up through the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
The helpline, a four-digit toll free number, will also be accessible in multiple regional languages, the statement added.
What did Piyush Goyal say about Startup India Desk?
Posting a video from his speech at the Startup Mahakumbh on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Piyush Goyal said it is a “new helpline to assist startups”.
In the video, the minister can be heard encouraging startup founders saying: “What I’m going to do now, is start a desk at ‘Start-up India’ in my ministry, which will be a helpline for any startup from anywhere in the country.”
He added, “If an official is troubling you, if you have any suggestions, if changes to the laws are needed, or you’ve developed something that requires the creation of new regulations… if you’re facing corruption or demands for bribes, call the helpline.”
“If anyone (official) is giving you trouble… from any department, centre, state, corporation or zilla parishad, and you are certain that you’ve followed the law, definitely complain using the helpline,” the minister said.
How to Access Startup India Desk Helpline?
According to the official release by the Commerce and Industries ministry, “… A dedicated Startup India Desk will be set up in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry to serve as a helpline for startups across India, accessible via a simple 4-digit toll-free number in regional languages.”
No further details are available as yet. The ministry will likely release the toll-free number and other details soon via official channels.
Fund of Funds Approved, Says Piyush Goyal
Piyush Goyal also said the second Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) to provide early-stage financial support for new entrepreneurs who often face challenges in accessing traditional forms of capital.
The FFS, with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore, has been approved and this year, and ₹2,000 crore will be disbursed to the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) as the first installment. “A significant portion of the fund will be reserved for seed funding of small startups and to support deep-tech innovation startups,” he added.
The fund will foster development of “cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), quantum computing, robotics, precision manufacturing, biotech, and semiconductor design” where long gestation periods and high capital requirement can become hurdles, as per the statement.
The minister also addressed SIDBI, and encouraged the establishment of at least one support centre in every state to provide basic infrastructure and shared facilities for early-stage entrepreneurs.
