Tamil Nadu ranked as a best performer for 2022 in Startup India ranking

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has emerged as a 'best performer' state for the year 2022 in Startup India's rankings announced on Tuesday.
From occupying the bottom rung in 2018 and 2019, categorised as an emerging startup ecosystem, the state was adjudged a leader in 2021, and based on developments in 2022, it has reached the topmost level as best performer.
Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh were also adjudged best performers.

Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana were ranked as leaders.
Tamil Nadu revamped its nodal startup agency, StartupTN in 2021. It also made budget allocations for Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Fund (TANSEED), Emerging Sector Seed Fund, and Tamil Nadu SC/ ST Fund. The state has more than 7,600 startups registered, of which 2250 was registered in 2022.
StartupTN CEO Sivarajah R told TOI that measures such as the launch of new funds, networks to connect entrepreneurs to investors, global outreach, and inclusivity helped the state climb the ranks. "Though we released the new startup policy only in 2023, we had already been doing most of the measures mentioned in it," he said. "The aim is to become one of the top 20 global startup destinations by 2032," he added.
Among the seven pillars of evaluation, Tamil Nadu emerged in the 100th percentile in three areas - offer of institutional support to startups, funding support, and capacity building of entrepreneurs.
The state scored 79th percentile in fostering innovation, 64th in market access creation, 94th in incubation support, and 75th in its sustainability roadmap.
Procurement by the government and its agencies from startups is an area that needs work, the report said.
TN has given more than 60 work orders to startups with a total value of more than ₹15 crore in the period of the ranking.
"The state may give mandate to each state departments and state PSUs to compulsorily procure a certain percentage of required goods or services from registered startups," the report said.
Launched in 2018, the states startup ranking is released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The evaluation period for the 2022 ranking is from August 2021 to December 2022.