Published: 1 October 2026
StartupFeed Quick Take
- Maharashtra has over 30,000 startups, about 18% of India’s total.
- The state will build a 300-acre AI Innovation City in Navi Mumbai.
- The AI Policy 2026 will train 2 lakh youth and professionals.
Maharashtra will build a 300-acre Innovation City in Navi Mumbai focused on artificial intelligence, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on September 30, 2026. He was speaking in Mumbai. The Maharashtra startup ecosystem now holds over 30,000 startups, about 18% of India’s total.
He spoke at the fourth edition of The Governance Challenge at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. The event was run with the Gates Foundation and Samagra.
The 30,000 figure is not new. The Maharashtra Startup, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy 2025 counted 29,147 registered startups on May 31, 2025. The fresh news is the AI City and the incubator plan.
The state is building M-Hub, its first dedicated startup incubator. An incubator is a place that helps new startups grow. Under the Maharashtra AI Policy 2026, the state will set up AI incubators and train 2 lakh young people and professionals.
The policy numbers show why the state leads. Maharashtra is home to 27 of India’s 117 unicorns, or 23% of the national total. It has over 14,000 women-led startups. Each of its 36 districts has at least 20 recognised startups.
The DPIIT data backs the claim. Maharashtra tops all states for DPIIT-recognised startups. DPIIT is the central department that registers startups in India.
Money sits behind the target. The state’s Rs 500 crore CM MahaFund will back early-stage founders. The 2025 policy aims for 50,000 startups by 2030.
Mr. Fadnavis set a bigger goal too. He said Maharashtra aims to reach a $1 trillion economy by 2030 and a $2 trillion economy by 2035.
Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, put it this way:
“Maharashtra is India’s undeniable startup capital, both in sheer numbers and effective implementation.”
Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, Maharashtra. From his speech at The Governance Challenge, September 30, 2026.
What this means for you: If you run a deep-tech or AI startup near Mumbai, the Navi Mumbai Innovation City and M-Hub could give you incubation and land close to the airport. Watch for the MSInS application window before you pick your base.
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