Bengaluru: Bengaluru has officially emerged as India’s startup capital, surpassing Mumbai and Gurugram in the latest Avendus Wealth-Hurun India U30 List 2026. The city’s remarkable rise reflects its growing dominance as the preferred destination for young entrepreneurs building the country’s next generation of technology and innovation-driven companies.

The latest rankings place Bengaluru at the top with 21 entrepreneurs featured in the prestigious U30 list, a sharp rise from just seven in the 2025 edition. The achievement also reinforces Karnataka’s position as India’s leading innovation hub.

Bengaluru records biggest jump

According to the report, Bengaluru has become the country’s largest startup headquarters hub, with 18 companies featured in the U30 rankings based in the city—the highest for any Indian city.

Mumbai follows with nine startup headquarters, while Gurugram has eight.

The state’s performance has also been equally impressive. Karnataka topped the state rankings with 22 young entrepreneurs, more than doubling last year’s tally of 10 and overtaking every other state in the country.

DeepTech drives Bengaluru’s success

Industry experts attribute Bengaluru’s rapid rise to the growing focus on DeepTech, Artificial Intelligence, hardware innovation and advanced technology startups.

While Mumbai has traditionally dominated through fintech, consumer brands and direct-to-consumer businesses, the startup landscape is now shifting towards research-led and technology-intensive ventures, giving Bengaluru a significant advantage.

Karnataka vows continued support

Welcoming the achievement, Karnataka IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge said the rankings reflect the evolution of India’s startup ecosystem towards younger founders and DeepTech innovation.

He noted that Bengaluru’s leap from seven entrepreneurs last year to 21 this year highlights the city’s entrepreneurial spirit, world-class talent and collaborative innovation ecosystem.

Kharge also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to investing in DeepTech, research and development, skilling initiatives and founder-friendly policies to ensure Karnataka remains the preferred destination for globally competitive startups.

With its thriving innovation ecosystem and growing number of successful young founders, Bengaluru has strengthened its reputation not only as India’s technology capital but also as the country’s leading launchpad for the next generation of entrepreneur#Bengaluru #Startups #Karnataka #Entrepreneurship #DeepTech #Innovation #NewsKarnataka