The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has introduced a new initiative, Startups for All, through its Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST). Developed in partnership with YNOS, a startup incubated at IIT Madras, the initiative aims to make vital startup-related information affordable and easily accessible to entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders in India’s growing startup ecosystem.
The initiative was officially launched by Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan, Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, during the ‘TN Global Startup Summit’ held recently in Chennai.
According to IIT Madras, India’s startup ecosystem, now the third-largest in the world, is expected to play a key role in achieving the country’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and $5 trillion economy target. However, one of the biggest challenges continues to be the “information conundrum,” where data is abundant but fragmented, making it difficult for founders and investors to access reliable insights.
To address this, IIT Madras CREST and YNOS have built India’s first independent digital platform dedicated to startups. The platform already features information on over 2.75 lakh startups, 15,000 angel investors, 5,500 venture capital firms, 1,400 incubators, 800 banks, and 110 government support schemes. This makes it the country’s largest and most comprehensive database of its kind.
Explaining the mission, Prof Thillai Rajan A, Head of CREST and faculty member at the Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras, said, “Information asymmetry has long been one of the biggest barriers for founders. Through the ‘Startups for All’ initiative, we aim to level the playing field by giving every entrepreneur and citizen — irrespective of location or background — equal access to credible information that supports smarter decisions and faster growth.”
The platform offers free initial access with complimentary credits for registered users to explore startup and investor profiles, followed by a pay-as-you-go micro-payment model. This model is designed to make verified funding and investor data accessible even to founders in smaller towns and institutions.
By removing barriers to information, IIT Madras’ Startups for All initiative seeks to empower students, researchers, and first-time entrepreneurs, enabling them to build and scale innovative ventures that strengthen India’s innovation-led economy.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
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