On National Startup Day 2025, that was celebrated on January 16, the Startup & IT Promotion Cell (SITPC), held a stakeholder event for exchange of ideas and sharing of knowledge. Giving an overview of Goa’s startup ecosystem, DS Prashant, CEO, Startup and IT Promotion Cell, the state has 570 DPIIT-recognized startups, 255 SITPC-certified startups, and 270 startups led by women directors.
“Goa’s startups have raised Rs 1300 crore in private funding and received Rs 15 crore in state and central grants. Speaking on the government’s future plans, Prasanna Acharya, director, department of ITE&C, said, that, the government’s goal is to generate 10,000 jobs for Goans and facilitate venture funding for at least 100 startups. “With infrastructure that includes six incubators, over 15 co-working spaces, startup cafés, and venture studios, we are building an ecosystem that supports startups at every stage” he said.
The event had Namrata Chawla, certified business coach and founder, MindMines, conduct a session on early-stage product development and the concept of Minimum Viable Product. Chawla spoke on the importance of identifying and refining a single key feature that sets a product apart. She also shared her perspective on pricing, saying, “do not charge for what the product is, charge for what the product will be.” Drawing from her psychology background, she explained how understanding human behavior can influence pricing strategies, customer engagement, and business decisions.
A workshop on fundraising was conducted by Varsha Adusumilli, co-founder, Kstart. The event also showcased innovative solutions by local entrepreneurs. Shivona Fernandes, project manager, SOLO Network, demonstrated an internship and mentor finder app, while Siddharth Goel, co-founder, KYP Solutions, presented a skill assessment tool to help founders understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
