Razorpay, one of India’s leading financial technology firms, has joined forces with the MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), an initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. This strategic collaboration aims to nurture early-stage startups working in deep-tech and emerging technologies. Together, Razorpay and MSH plan to provide these startups with direct access to advanced fintech infrastructure, curated mentorship, product credits, and a vibrant ecosystem designed for innovation.
With India emerging as a global tech hub, the need to empower startups beyond the metropolitan corridors has become crucial. Razorpay and MSH address this need by focusing on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, offering tools and support systems that foster growth, innovation, and resilience.
Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Entrepreneurs
The collaboration specifically targets startups that build solutions in artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and other advanced technologies. Razorpay and MSH want these founders to build with clarity, speed, and purpose. They understand that real innovation often emerges from resource-constrained environments. This partnership ensures that founders with great ideas don’t fall behind due to lack of infrastructure, networks, or mentorship.
Razorpay brings to the table its deep understanding of startup challenges. By integrating its flagship initiative, Razorpay Rize, into the partnership, it offers startups a full-stack platform to launch and scale. Rize enables young founders to incorporate their companies swiftly—be it a Private Limited, LLP, or OPC—with expert guidance. Through this support, startups save time and effort navigating the complex regulatory and legal frameworks of formal business registration.
Founder-First Approach to Scaling Startups
Razorpay Rize doesn’t stop at company incorporation. The initiative delivers high-impact resources aimed at supporting founders through every early-stage challenge. Razorpay offers help with Y Combinator applications, expert reviews of pitch decks, and founder toolkits that cover critical areas such as fundraising, compliance, and go-to-market strategies. Through its exclusive content hub, Razorpay curates thought leadership material that founders can use to stay updated on industry trends, market entry strategies, and product-building best practices.
In each quarter, Rize shortlists a cohort of promising startups and invites them into the Razorpay Rize Community. This community serves as a dynamic network of innovators, mentors, and industry veterans. Verified founder directories, invite-only masterclasses, and mentorship sessions from Razorpay’s leadership team and ecosystem partners allow early-stage companies to move faster and smarter.
Arif Khan, Razorpay’s Chief Innovation Officer, summed up the company’s vision aptly. “Most transformative ideas begin in unlikely places — with a lone founder solving a real problem, fuelled by belief more than resources. But turning belief into a business takes the right infrastructure, wisdom and a community that has your back. If we want to build for the next billion, we must empower the next million builders.”
Institutional Support with a National Vision
The MeitY Startup Hub plays a pivotal role in India’s tech innovation journey. It connects startup incubators, Centres of Excellence, and various stakeholders into a cohesive national framework. By offering regulatory assistance, mentorship, and policy support, MSH ensures that early-stage tech companies have a path to scale sustainably.
Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO of MSH, reinforced the intent behind the partnership: “As India advances toward becoming a global innovation powerhouse, it is critical that our startups grow with both agility and integrity. Our partnership with Razorpay will empower founders, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, to build with speed and confidence.”
Madanagopal highlighted the strategic value of peer learning and shared knowledge networks. He emphasized that such collaborations accelerate inclusive growth and ensure startups operate with clear direction and a resilient mindset. As the custodian of deep-tech innovation in India, MSH sees partnerships like these as essential catalysts for long-term impact.
From Local to Global: A Roadmap for Scaling Innovation
India now boasts more than 159,000 DPIIT-recognised startups, contributing over 1.6 million jobs. These numbers reflect more than just quantity; they demonstrate India’s rising ability to innovate at scale. But raw numbers need nurturing ecosystems, and that’s where Razorpay and MSH step in.
By merging Razorpay’s fintech infrastructure with MSH’s deep-tech networks, this partnership enables startups to address pressing domestic challenges while also positioning themselves for global markets. Razorpay’s tools, including its payment gateway, neobanking platform, and payroll solutions, help startups manage financial operations from day one. This operational readiness equips them to spend less time on infrastructure and more time building transformative technologies.
Startups working within the partnership gain access to exclusive credits for Razorpay’s services. These credits reduce the financial burden on founders and allow them to test and implement Razorpay’s robust solutions across various stages of their product journey. Whether a startup needs seamless online payments, automated vendor payouts, or smart salary disbursement, Razorpay provides it all in a single ecosystem.
Grassroots Outreach and Inclusive Growth
Razorpay doesn’t limit its support to national-level initiatives. It actively collaborates with state governments such as Rajasthan, Assam, and Kerala. Through these regional partnerships, the company tailors its offerings to local startup ecosystems. It builds programs that address regional needs, cultural nuances, and market realities. The result: more inclusive growth and a deeper pipeline of innovation from across the country.
This strategic focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities brings previously underserved founders into the mainstream. These entrepreneurs often lack access to capital, quality mentorship, and structured support systems. By democratizing access to high-quality infrastructure and expert networks, Razorpay and MSH help level the playing field.
Building India’s Innovation DNA
This partnership symbolizes a shift in India’s startup narrative—from isolated innovation to integrated ecosystems. It acknowledges that startups don’t just need capital. They need confidence. They need collaboration. And most importantly, they need continuity.
When fintech leaders like Razorpay join hands with government-backed enablers like MSH, the ripple effects travel far. Founders gain access to best-in-class tools. Policymakers understand ground-level challenges better. Investors feel more secure backing high-potential but previously overlooked ventures.
The result? A nation where startups don’t just survive—they thrive.