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IIT Madras launches initiative to expand access to startup information

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

IIT Madras’ ‘Startups for All’ seeks to empower students, researchers, and first-time founders (Image: IIT Madras)

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched a new initiative, ‘Startups for All’, through its Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST), to make critical startup-related information accessible and affordable to all. Developed in collaboration with YNOS, an IIT Madras-incubated startup, the project aims to bridge the information gap that has long hindered founders, investors, and other ecosystem players.

The initiative was 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.

India’s startup ecosystem — the world’s third-largest — is expected to play a pivotal role in achieving the nation’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and $5 trillion economy target, a statement released by IIT Madras noted, adding that yet, a major challenge remains the “information conundrum,” where data appears abundant but is fragmented and scattered, making it difficult for stakeholders to make informed decisions.

Addressing this issue, IIT Madras CREST and YNOS have developed India’s only independent digital platform dedicated to startups. The platform already hosts over 2.75 lakh startups, 15,000 angel investors, 5,500 venture capital firms, 1,400 incubators, 800 banks, and 110 government support schemes, making it the country’s largest and most comprehensive startup database.

Explaining the objective, 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 approach enables entrepreneurs, especially from smaller towns and institutions, to access verified funding data, investor preferences, and engagement models without heavy subscription costs.

By breaking down barriers to information, IIT Madras’ ‘Startups for All’ seeks to empower students, researchers, and first-time founders—helping them build, scale, and sustain ventures that contribute to India’s innovation-driven future.