Hon'ble Minister Piyush Goyal Launches The Bharat Project to Empower 1 Million Entrepreneurs Across India

The Bharat Project initiative is designed to democratise entrepreneurship by making essential resources accessible to every aspiring founder, regardless of their background or location.

Apr 19, 2025 - 16:24

Hon'ble Minister Piyush Goyal Launches The Bharat Project to Empower 1 Million Entrepreneurs Across India

In a landmark step towards building an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, Hon'ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal today launched The Bharat Project, a bold national initiative by YourStory aimed at empowering 1 million entrepreneurs from Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural India.

The Bharat Project brings together government, ecosystem enablers, creators, and communities to unlock grassroots potential and democratize access to entrepreneurial tools, education, and funding.

“India’s future is not limited to metros. It’s brewing in the kitchens, backyards, and streets of Bharat. The Bharat Project is a step towards ensuring that every aspiring entrepreneur has access to resources, stories, and support to turn their idea into impact” said Shradha Sharma, Founder & CEO, YourStory.

"The spirit of entrepreneurship in Bharat is unstoppable. With the right support, India's small towns can become global hubs of innovation. The Bharat Project is a timely initiative that will take the energy of our youth to new heights," said Hon'ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal.

Key pillars of The Bharat Project:

Co-Pilot for Entrepreneurs:

AI-powered mobile-first platform to provide startup guidance, learning, mentorship access, and success stories in Hindi and English.

Education & Upskilling:

State-led, district-level activations and WhatsApp-based learning programs to train and empower youth in starting and scaling businesses.

Bharat Ideathon:

A nationwide idea challenge to scout promising business ideas from 1,000+ districts and enable high-potential founders to access mentorship and visibility.

BharatSparks:

A national launchpad where selected Tier 2/3 entrepreneurs get a chance to pitch to investors, access grants, and build long-term support systems.

Shuru-kar (Web Series):

A 7-part OTT documentary series featuring regional startup stories, grassroots innovators, investors, and policymakers.

Why Bharat, Why Now?

65% of India lives in Tier 2, 3, and rural areas
370M+ youth in the 15–30 age group
30% NEET youth (not in education, employment, or training)

Despite this potential, a large section of aspiring entrepreneurs lack access to capital, mentorship, and exposure. The Bharat Project aims to change that — by turning isolated talent into a nationwide movement.

Launch Highlights:

Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal addressed a packed audience of founders, students, creators, and ecosystem leaders at Radisson Goregaon, Mumbai.
The launch featured startup showcases, youth stories from across Bharat, and the Launch of The Bharat Project platform

About The Bharat Project

The Bharat Project initiative is designed to democratize entrepreneurship by making essential resources accessible to every aspiring founder, regardless of their background or location.

It’s a nation-first mission by YourStory, focused on building the largest support ecosystem for aspiring entrepreneurs from non-metro India. Through storytelling, education, and digital-first platforms, it aims to help Bharat’s builders start, scale, and succeed.

About YourStory

YourStory is India’s most influential platform inspiring entrepreneurship. Since 2008, it has published over 200,000 stories, built a community of 10M+ entrepreneurs, and reached 150M+ users across platforms. It has been recognized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, global institutions, and millions of founders for its role in shaping India’s startup movement.

Hokar Nidar…ShuruKar.

Start bold. Start now. Start anywhere. But start.