India startup ecosystem is at ‘refresh point’: T-Hub CEO
Partnership between Telangana’s T-Hub and Hauts-de-France will connect startups, investors and industry networks in both countries
Last Updated: Feb 19, 2026, 16:03 IST2 min
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India’s startup ecosystem is at a “refresh point” driven by new technology shifts, government policy support and maturing capital markets, said Kavikrut, CEO of T-Hub, on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Wednesday. “The startup world has hit a refresh point in at least our country, after a long time,” he said, pointing to artificial intelligence (AI), government initiatives and investor exits as key drivers of the next phase of growth.
“The wave that we’re seeing is AI,” he said, along with strong policy support. “The second is this government is taking significant steps [to support startups]... The fact that we now have real startup markets and real examples in the last 20 years… venture capitalists making exits, people being successful. There is a market that is now real.”
The remarks came as India and France announced a partnership between Hyderabad-based T-Hub and France’s Hauts-de-France region to strengthen startup collaboration, market access and innovation exchanges. The initiative aims to connect startups, investors, research institutions and corporates from both regions, with joint programmes expected across sectors including mobility, AI, and advanced manufacturing.
“We have great expectations for this partnership between the Hauts-de-France region and T-Hub. It positions us within a globally connected startup corridor, enabling our entrepreneurs to engage with international markets, capital, and industry networks. It reflects our shared commitment to building cross-border collaboration with lasting global impact,” representatives of the Hauts-de-France region said in their official statement.
Commenting on the announcement, Kavikrut said such collaborations create “practical highways” for startups to expand internationally through exchanges and partnerships rather than only funding mechanisms. When asked about funding support linked to the collaboration, Kavikrut said the partnership is not centred on creating a dedicated investment fund but on enabling access to existing capital networks across both ecosystems. He added that commitments would come from stakeholders on both sides through programmes and partnerships rather than a single pooled fund.
Entrepreneurship becoming mainstream career choice
Drawing on his own career, which includes roles at Amazon India and hospitality startup Oyo before moving to T-Hub, Kavikrut said the perception of entrepreneurship has shifted significantly over the past decade. “If you go to a 22-year-old graduate and ask what the most aspirational career choices are, they will say startup. Today when you see a young founder, you feel that person is courageous, you feel that person needs to be supported. The world has changed,” he said.
He added that startups should be viewed as economic enablers rather than confined to specific industries. “I see startups as vehicles… building economies,” he said, pointing to strong activity emerging in aerospace, defence, life sciences and manufacturing, propelled by government schemes.
Focus on founders
T-Hub, backed by the Telangana government, is a non-profit platform that supports startups through investor access, corporate partnerships, mentorship and infrastructure, including cloud computing credits through partnerships with technology companies. “The founder is my customer at the end of the day… I have no incentive or motivation other than helping them become successful,” Kavikrut said. When asked how T-Hub supports founders, he added, “The first is giving them access to capital… the second is market, the ability to tap into a technical expert… and access to infrastructure and critical resources.”
Beyond France, T-Hub also works with the United Kingdom and Japan, through startup exchange programmes and innovation collaborations. He explained that the France initiative formalises existing cooperation into a more structured regional partnership, growing on work the two countries have already been doing.
First Published: Feb 19, 2026, 16:08
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