New Delhi, April 11: Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani has painted an ambitious picture of India’s startup ecosystem, forecasting that the country could have one million startups by 2035—a dramatic leap from just 2,000 in 2015.
Speaking at the Carnegie Global Tech Summit, Nilekani emphasized that India’s momentum in digital transformation over the past decade is paving the way for this entrepreneurial boom.
“Startups have been solving real problems over the years. The key is scale. In 2015, we had about 2,000 startups. Today, we’re at around 150,000. By 2035, we can reach a million,” he said.
He explained that a “virtuous cycle” is now in motion—successful startups go public, creating wealth and inspiration for many more to follow. “One startup going public can inspire a hundred others. That cycle is fully underway now. These startups will address challenges in climate, energy, space, and more,” he noted.
He also underscored India’s progress in the AI space, stating that the country is well-positioned to implement AI at scale, thanks to the existing digital ecosystem.
“With just Hindi and English interfaces, static content, and touchscreen phones, we’ve reached over 500 million users. WhatsApp now has over 600 million users in India, PhonePe has about 350-400 million, and UPI has 400 million. That’s the base we’re building from.”
Looking ahead, he identified three shifts that will accelerate digital adoption:
Language: Expanding beyond Hindi and English to include all major Indian languages for broader accessibility
User Interface: Moving from keyboard and touch to voice and video
Knowledge Access: Transitioning from static information to dynamic, contextual AI-powered content
“With generative AI and better reasoning abilities, people will have contextual information at their fingertips. That’s the future we’re heading towards,” Nilekani said.
