New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) Maharashtra is emerging as India’s leading innovation and enterprise hubs, backed by over 1.5 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups, strong industrial infrastructure, and growing investments in technology and entrepreneurship, Dr P Anbalagan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Maharashtra said on Thursday.

Maharashtra contributes nearly 14 per cent to India’s GDP and around 25 per cent of the country’s industrial output, while Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur drives growth in fintech, deep-tech, manufacturing, engineering research, and startup incubation, Anbalagan said at a joint event held by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI).

Dr P Anbalagan noted that the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem boosts research-led entrepreneurship, employment generation, and global competitiveness.

The event drew industry leaders, policy makers, academia, startup professionals, and research personnel to deliberate on strengthening innovation-led growth through deeper academia-industry collaboration.

Discussions focused on research commercialisation, startup development, skill creation, and the role of innovation ecosystems in driving employment and enterprise growth.

The sessions highlighted that mentorship, incubation support, funding access, and industry exposure for research scholars can accelerate enterprise creation, skilled job generation, and technology-led economic growth.

Speakers urged stronger partnerships between educational institutions, startups, and industry to build future-ready talent and globally competitive enterprises.

The summit also provided a platform for industry leaders to engage with emerging research talent, identify scalable technologies, and explore innovation-driven collaborations with commercial and industrial potential.

A recent report said Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi and Tamil Nadu together attracted more than 83 per cent of foreign direct investment inflows.

Similarly, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat contributed nearly 48 per cent of national GDP in FY 2025, while the bottom ten states accounted for less than 3 per cent.

—IANS

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