In a significant step to boost grassroots entrepreneurship, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with YourStory Media Pvt Ltd, a private digital platform focused on startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The collaboration aligns with DPIIT’s objective of promoting inclusive startup growth across Tier II, Tier III, and rural regions of India. Under the Bharat Project, the initiative aims to empower one million entrepreneurs through the use of AI-driven tools, venture launchpads, and regional language storytelling.

The MoU also supports flagship startup events and developer-centric platforms to enhance engagement in emerging sectors such as AI, generative AI, blockchain, and data-driven technologies. These platforms will provide spaces for innovation showcases, founder-investor networking, and knowledge-sharing, ensuring wider participation from aspiring entrepreneurs.

Joint Secretary at DPIIT, Sanjiv Singh, highlighted the importance of such inclusive platforms in supporting next-generation innovators, especially from underserved communities. He said the initiative would democratise access to entrepreneurial resources and bolster India’s position as a global innovation hub.

The agreement was formally signed by Deputy Secretary, DPIIT Rajesh Kumar and YourStory Founder & CEO Shradha Sharma, in the presence of senior representatives from both sides. The collaboration marks a strategic push to broaden India’s startup ecosystem by bridging digital, geographic, and language gaps.