Panaji: Goa’s DPIIT-recognised startups have increased from 650 to 830 in a year following an amendment to the Goa Startup Policy that expanded the definition of startups to include MSMEs and other new units.
The amendment was made on September 25, 2025. The current number of 830 represents an increase of about 30 per cent over the previous year.
“Four hundred of the 830 startups are women-led ventures,” said IT Minister Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan organised by the Department of IT, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) in collaboration with the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE), Khaunte said a Goa AI Policy was being prepared with skilling as its focus.
“The policy aim will be to make 50,000 AI-certified resources by 2030. AI is not the future, it is the present and our aim is to empower students to become job givers rather than job seekers,” he said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched the Goa Online AI Chatbot on WhatsApp during the function. The chatbot is intended to provide access to government schemes.
The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is a month-long campaign focused on youth-led development, citizen-centric governance and digital empowerment under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. It will provide students with opportunities to apply technology, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking to
real-world challenges, including public service delivery, and develop skills related to the state’s digital economy.
The campaign also seeks to encourage youth participation in administration and social responsibility.
Bicholim MLA and Infotech Corporation of Goa chairman Dr Chandrakant Shetye, Priol MLA Govind Gaude, DITE&C director Kabir Shirgaonkar, Goa Electronics Corporation CEO Revati Kumar, Education Secretary Prasad Lolayekar, DHE director Bhushan K Savaikar, ITG managing director Praveen Volvotkar, Goa Ayush Council president Dr Sneha Bhagwat, and Kindlife founder and CEO Radhika Ghai were present at the function.
“Youth should actively consider entrepreneurship,” said Sawant, adding that launching their own ventures could create avenues beyond conventional employment. He urged students to develop practical solutions and work on innovation in social sectors.
