The dynamic economies of India, with tremendous growth at an alarming rate, offer fertile ground to entrepreneurs. Under the government’s pressure for self-reliance through schemes such as “Make in India,” “Startup India,” and “Digital India,” new and emerging industries fall into the limelight. Budding entrepreneurs, while hoping to cash in on this growth, have sectors across many spectrums to focus on. Here are 15 emerging industries in India that are worthwhile for the next generation of business leaders.
| S.No. | Emerging Industries in India for Entrepreneurs |
| 1. | Fintech |
| 2. | E-commerce and DTC |
| 3. | Edtech |
| 4. | Healthtech |
| 5. | Agritech |
| 6. | Electric Vehicles (EVs) |
| 7. | Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) |
| 8. | Clean Energy |
| 9. | Logistics and Supply Chain |
| 10. | Biotechnology |
| 11. | Gaming and Esports |
| 12. | Foodtech |
| 13. | Digital Entertainment and Content Creation |
| 14. | Cybersecurity |
| 15. | Robotics and Automation |
1. Fintech
The fintech market in India is growing mainly because of the penetration of smartphones, bank digitalization, and government policies encouraging cashless dealings. The adoption of lending platforms has been outstandingly adapted in digital payments, thereby giving solutions to age-old problems in financial services. The likes of Paytm and Razorpay have emerged into the forefront, and new entrants keep on changing the game in the market.
For instance,
Razorpay– This Bangalore-based startup has set the industry of payments abuzz with an end-to-end solution for businesses all along the gamut of payment, disbursement, and overall finance automation.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities:
- Peer-to-peer lending sites
- Digital wallets and payment gateways
- AI-based financial advisory apps
- Blockchain-based banking solutions
2. E-commerce and DTC
This allows entrepreneurs to create a D2C brand by bypassing the traditional retail channel. Indian customers are now ready to buy anything from groceries to luxury products. As per the trend followed, Internet penetration has increased in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Example: D2C eyewear brand Lenskart found huge, unserved needs in both the online and offline retail markets, leveraging customized eyewear solutions delivered right into customers’ homes.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs:
- Niche e-commerce platforms – organic products or handicrafts
- Subscription-based models – beauty or grooming
- Sustainable, Eco-friendly, related product lines
3. Edtech
Edtech is another booming industry in India, with ed-tech startups transforming the conventional learning model. E-learning platforms cater to varied education needs, from K-12 levels up to professional upskilling. The Covid-19 pandemic set it in motion, and edtech shows no sign of slowing down in its quest for remote learning solutions.
For example, BYJU’s-the e-learning app that generates thousands of interactive content for students and is now one of the most valuable companies in the edtech sector in the world as a provider of personalized learning solutions.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs:
- Test preparation platforms (be it competitive exams)
- Language learning apps
- Skill-based learning-things like coding, design, or even digital marketing
- Edutainment (say, Education through entertainment)
4. Healthtech
Healthcare in India also suffers from the unavailability and affordability of quality care. Here, health tech comes into play, wherein the solution lies in telemedicine platforms and health monitoring apps. The demand for digital healthcare services increased due to health consciousness amongst Indians.
Example: Practo is a health-tech start-up wherein, besides healthcare management tools, online connecting patients with doctors for discussion over consultancy.
Opportunities
- Telemedicine services
- Wearable health devices
- Digital health records platforms
- Artificial intelligence diagnosis tools
5. Agritech
Agriculture is another important sector of the Indian economy, and with agritech gaining popularity, there is still scope for the sector to be overhauled. Startups, through tech-enabled means, are optimizing their farming methods and are now bringing in more yields along with better gains through efficient and better-structured models and farmer-friendly sustainable models. From precision farming to farm-to-table service delivery, agritech also enables farmers to increase yield and revenue.
Example: The Agritech start-up NinjaCart connects directly to retailers, eliminating middlemen and providing better prices for farmers.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
- Precision farm solutions (drones, sensors)
- Farm management software
- Supply chain management of farm produce
- IoT-based solutions for agriculture
6. Electric Vehicles (EVs)
The Indian government has aggressively imposed targets for adopting electric vehicles, and the alternative fuel situation keeps rising. Hence, electric vehicle technology remains a promising emerging business.
Be it an auto behemoth or a start-up, electric mobility space, as in the case of many start-ups, is playing out to be rather exciting. And it’s not so much because these companies are excited about electricity but more because a policy push by the government towards cleaner energy has emerged as the big driver.
Example: There is an electric vehicle start-up called Ather Energy that was just formed in Bangalore with the manufacturing of electric scooters and the accompanying charging infrastructure as a rise in the need for cleaner transport.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities:
- Setting up EV charging infrastructure
- Developing technology around the battery and recycling
- Producing electric vehicles, two-wheelers, and cars
- Software development for managing fleets of EVs
7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
Those AI and ML technologies are revolutionizing the businesses sector by sector across health and retail, among others. In India, AI/ML brings in the next edge of solutions that relate to operational efficiency, customer experience, and automation for startups. Business processes are being supplemented by AI, giving birth to intelligent systems.
Mad Street Den is an artificial intelligence start-up company that uses computer vision and helps develop answers for retailers with AI. It focuses on features such as visual search, recommendation, and personalization.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities
- AI chatbots-powered customer service solution
- Predictive analytics for industries, be it retail healthcare, or any other
- Manufacturing automation tools
- AI marketing and advertising platforms
8. Clean Energy
Clean energy has been in the fast lane as India increases its focus on sustainability. The country has ambitious renewable energy targets, particularly in the sector of solar and wind energy, hence making the space hot for innovation and investment. The clean energy startups are taking keen interest in energy storage solutions as well as smart grids.
Example: ReNew Power is the leading clean energy company in India, focussing on wind and solar energies, and has significantly contributed to achieving the renewable energy goals of the nation.
Opportunity for Entrepreneurs:
- Solar panel manufacturing and installation
- Energy storage solutions like batteries
- Waste-to-energy projects
- Smart grid technologies
9. Logistics and Supply Chain
The use of growth of e-commerce and faster delivery services has been triggering a significant change in India’s logistics and supply chain industry. Technology-driven logistics startups have the aim of helping firms to optimize supply chains and to improve last-mile delivery. Logistics and supply chain industries have also become more efficient and transparent.
10. Biotechnology
India’s biotechnology industry is growing fast, mainly because of research in genomics, bioinformatics, and pharmaceuticals. Biotechnology ranges from developing new medicines and treatments to agricultural biotechnology. The government, too, is showing its commitment with its National Biotechnology Development Strategy.
Example: Biocon is an Indian leader in biopharmaceuticals. Focused on affordable healthcare solutions, the company produces insulin and treats cancer, among others.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities:
- Drug discovery and development
- Personalized medicine
- Agricultural biotechnology such as genetically modified crops
- Bioinformatics and genomics platforms
11. Gaming and Esports
The Indian esports industry looks forward to growth as Indian youth and mobile gaming lead the way to growth in the gaming and esports market, increasing internet penetration and populating many streaming platforms and esports tournaments.
Example: Nodwin Gaming is one of the esports companies organizing major esports tournaments in India, thus helping to initiate a local esports ecosystem in India.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs:
- Game development (mobile and PC)
- Esports event management
- Gaming streaming platforms
- Virtual reality (VR) gaming solutions
12. Foodtech
Food technology in India, evolved from online food delivery services to encompass innovations like cloud kitchens, farm-to-table models, and meal-kit services. With increasing health-conscious consumers and with the demand for ease, foodtech startups cater to a wide range of tastes and preferences.
Example: Zomato is the food ordering chain online that has grown across several nations and is one of the most successful foodtech Start-ups from India.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs:
- Cloud kitchens and virtual restaurants
- Healthy meal delivery services
- Food subscription services
- AI-powered restaurant management tools
13. Digital Entertainment and Content Creation
With the acceleration of the consumption of digital content in India, and platforms such as YouTube and OTT streaming services, social media, and so on, huge opportunities have unfolded for creators and entrepreneurs. The demand for original and localized content created a large ecosystem for content creation and distribution.
Example: Pocket Aces is an Indian digital entertainment company that produces web series and other online content across several platforms catering to growing appetites in India for digital entertainment.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs:
- Video creation and streaming
- Podcast networks
- Marketing through social media influencers
- Content monetization tools
14. Cybersecurity
Needless to say, India is becoming increasingly digitalized, and hence, robust cybersecurity solutions are drastically needed. Startups in this sector alone provide solutions on counteracting the increasing surge in cyberattacks, data breach, and frauds online. Under the tightening of data privacy, business houses of all sizes face this increased concern of having secure cybersecurity.
Lucideus is a cybersecurity startup that creates digital security solutions to protect enterprises against cyber attacks.
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
- Cybersecurity training and awareness programs
- AI-driven threat detection and prevention tools
- Data privacy solutions
- Cyber risk management platforms
15. Robotics and Automation
Robotics and automation is a prime necessity for many sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, or logistics. Many startups are entering the system to offer innovative robotic systems which help to optimize efficiency at lower costs.
Example: GreyOrange
GreyOrange is a startup firm with different warehouse automation solutions in the form of a robot. It develops usage cases for company work flows such as inventory sorting and movement. These help streamline the company’s logistics.
Conclusion
The emerging industries in India present wide avenues for entrepreneurs to innovate and achieve success. A rising developed digital infrastructure, the embrace of new technologies, and a large number of emergence sectors will drive the shape of India’s economy landscape. From FinTech and HealthTech to CleanTech, each sector presents unique challenges and rewards, making the current times exciting to be an entrepreneur in India.
These illustrations serve as real-life examples of how Indian startups are not just altering the industries but creating new ones altogether, which showcase just how much depth in the potential for innovation and entrepreneurship India truly has. As India’s startup ecosystem continues to grow, these industries will be the prime components that propel the nation’s economic and technological change.
