# Startup IPOs hit record Rs 41,248 Cr in 2025, 2026 pipeline strong 2026-08-17T04:20:49+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Eighteen Indian startups listed on stock exchanges in 2025, raising a record Rs 41,248 crore from public markets, Inc42 reports. The surge was driven by SEBI reforms including simplified DRHP filings and flexible ESOP rules, along with robust GDP growth and retail investor participation as demat accounts crossed 20 crore. However, most startup listings in 2026 so far have been flat or lacklustre, barring a few like Klassroom and Kissht. Foreign institutional investors are pulling back amid geopolitical tensions and muted secondary market performance. Yet the IPO pipeline remains strong: 30 startups have filed DRHPs, and over 24 are finalising plans. Unicorns OYO, Razorpay and Zetwerk alone could raise over Rs 34,000 crore this year, Inc42 says. Business Today notes that India's startup ecosystem is shifting from software to deep tech, with Gen Z founders competing globally and venture capital focusing on homegrown innovation. Investors in 2026 will prioritise profitability, predictable cash flows and governance over headline growth, according to Orios Venture Partners' managing partner Rehan Yar Khan. ## Coverage - businesstoday.in - inc42.com This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-17T17:51:28+00:00. Tags: Infosys, ISRO, OfBusiness, Semicon India 2.0 Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-backs-chip-startups-gen-z-founders-in-new-tech-push/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-backs-chip-startups-gen-z-founders-in-new-tech-push/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/