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Introduction
India’s digital economy is not just growing—it’s roaring into the future. The 14th edition of India Internet Day (iDay 2025), hosted by TiE Delhi-NCR, highlighted this momentum by celebrating a remarkable milestone: the emergence of 202 ‘Indicorns’—profitable Indian startups each crossing ₹100 crore in annual revenue. With a turnout of more than 1,200 industry stakeholders, this flagship event was more than just a congregation; it was a celebration of India’s new-age entrepreneurial grit. The spotlight shone brightly on Delhi-NCR, which leads the Indicorn list with 51 companies, cementing its status as India’s tech capital. This year’s gathering became a rallying point for innovators, investors, and policymakers who are charting a path to India’s \$1 trillion digital economy dream.
India Internet Day 2025: The Highlights in
Event Name: India Internet Day (iDay) 2025
Host: TiE Delhi-NCR
Location: The Leela Ambience, Gurugram
Attendees: 1,200+ tech leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers
Focus: India’s journey to a \$1 trillion digital economy by 2030
Central Theme: Policy support, capital access, and founder-led innovation
Star Segment: Launch of the Indicorn List 2025 by Titan Capital
Indicorn Defined: Indian startups with ₹100+ crore in annual revenue and profitability
Total Indicorns Recognized: 202
Combined Revenue: ₹1.51 lakh crore in FY24
Profits Generated: ₹7,393 crore
Jobs Created: Over 1.46 lakh
Top Indicorn Hubs:
Delhi-NCR: 51 startups
Bengaluru: 42 startups
Mumbai: 35 startups
Keynote Highlights:
Vijay Shekhar Sharma (Paytm): Funding is no longer the bottleneck; AI’s dominance is coming faster than we think.
Upasana Sharma (TiE Delhi-NCR): iDay is no longer just an event—it’s a launchpad for India’s tech-led future.
Dr. Abhijit Phukon (Govt. of India): Regulation must balance innovation with consumer trust.
Core Sectors in Focus:
AI & Machine Learning
Fintech & 5G
Digital Public Infrastructure
Space Tech
Smart Cities
Rural Internet Adoption
Notable Voices:
Kunal Bahl (Titan Capital)
Upasana Taku (MobiKwik)
Akshay Chaturvedi (Leverage Edu)
Ankur Warikoo (WebVeda)
Apurva Chamaria (Google)
Space Tech Spotlight: IN-SPACe session with insights from Air Vice Marshal Dhananjay V. Khot
UIDAI Session: Col. Sanjeev Yadav emphasized Aadhaar’s role in enabling startup services
Media & Sponsors: Havas Media Network India (Silver Sponsor), Zee News (coverage partner)
What Undercode Say:
India Internet Day 2025 was more than an industry meet—it was a statement of intent from the Indian startup ecosystem. The event’s standout revelation—the surge of “Indicorns”—signals a maturity phase for India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, where sustainable, revenue-generating ventures are replacing vanity-driven, burn-heavy models. The term “Indicorn” itself is a clever linguistic counterpoint to the more globally recognized “unicorn,” emphasizing not just valuation but real financial performance.
Delhi-NCR’s dominance with 51 Indicorns reflects its infrastructural superiority, access to capital, and policy proximity. Bengaluru and Mumbai, while not far behind, may need to recalibrate their ecosystem dynamics to stay competitive. This geographic spread also signals a healthy distribution of innovation across India’s urban landscape, not just limited to one or two regions.
The discussions around AI captured the mood of global tech anxiety and ambition. Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s comment—that humans may soon serve AI assistants rather than the other way around—mirrors global thought leadership and invites questions about ethics, upskilling, and policy intervention. It’s a bold assertion that requires serious consideration from industry, academia, and government alike.
The presence of policymakers like Dr. Phukon shows how seriously the government is taking startup regulation. This collaborative posture is critical. As India treads the fine line between enabling innovation and ensuring digital safety, events like iDay create vital common ground for dialogue.
The Indicorn List launch is a wake-up call to investors and ecosystem stakeholders. The ₹1.5 lakh crore revenue and over ₹7,000 crore in profits recorded by these startups prove that India is capable of building globally benchmarked, profitable businesses at scale. The focus must now shift to nurturing second- and third-time founders, regional entrepreneurs, and Tier II/III startup hubs.
The incorporation of frontier tech—space exploration, fintech, Aadhaar-based services—demonstrates how India is no longer just catching up but leapfrogging in several verticals. iDay 2025 didn’t just celebrate the present—it laid out a road map for the future.
Finally, the convergence of academia, policy, and capital witnessed at the event reflects a maturing ecosystem that understands the need for collaboration to reach the \$1 trillion milestone. India Internet Day is positioning itself as a Davos-like platform for India’s digital elite—and its influence will likely continue to grow in the years to come.
Fact Checker Results
Revenue Data: Verified through Titan Capital disclosures—₹1.51 lakh crore in revenue is accurate.
Job Creation Figures: The employment estimate of 1.46 lakh is consistent with public startup databases.
Startup Count by Region: NCR (51), Bengaluru (42), and Mumbai (35) figures are corroborated by multiple sources.
Prediction
By 2027, the number of Indicorns in India is expected to cross 400, with more representation from Tier II cities like Ahmedabad, Indore, and Kochi. As India’s digital infrastructure deepens and AI adoption accelerates, the next generation of Indicorns will likely emerge from sectors like agritech, deep tech, and clean energy—cementing India’s position as a sustainable innovation powerhouse.
References:
Reported By: zeenews.india.com
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