Rajasthan Is Entering Its Hockey-Stick Phase, TGS Chief On State’s Rise As A Global Startup Hub

Rajasthan’s startup ecosystem has grown steadily over the past decade, moving from scattered activities to a more organised push, backed by policy, infrastructure, and a wider talent pool across districts. 

The state now hosts more than 7.2K startups under iStart and has generated significant economic impact through its thriving startup ecosystem, facilitating the creation of more than 42,500 employment opportunities and investments surpassing INR 1,000 crores. The entrepreneurial landscape features over 2,600 women-led startups that have successfully penetrated key sectors such as fintech, ecommerce, cleantech, edtech, and healthcare. Strategic policy initiatives and infrastructure investments have created an environment where young companies can build sustainable operations and pursue aggressive growth strategies. 

This momentum of innovation in the Land of Kings has set the stage for the Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit (TGS) 2026. 

Scheduled for January 4 to 6, 2026 at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC), the event is expected to attract around 10,000 entrepreneurs and delegates, more than 500 investors, over 100 global speakers from 30 countries and more than 150 exhibiting startups.

Rajasthan Digifest X TGS 2026 will bring global tracks, curated investor-startup interactions, cultural-innovation events, a film festival, ComicCon and a gaming zone under one roof, tying international attention to a fast-rising regional ecosystem.

Inc42 caught up with Mahavir Pratap Sharma, convener of the Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit (TGS) 2026 and cofounder and director of TiE, in the run-up to the event. Over the years, Sharma has built and supported ventures across sectors ranging from angel investing to ecommerce and handicrafts. 

He explained why Rajasthan is at an inflection point, what founders and investors still tend to overlook, and how grounded, fundamental-first entrepreneurship can define the state’s next decade of growth. Here are excerpts from the conversation:

Inc42: You have observed India’s startup evolution from multiple vantage points — as a founder, investor, mentor, and an ecosystem builder. What has changed most meaningfully, and what hasn’t changed enough?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: Over the years, what has changed meaningfully is the depth of ambition and quality of talent entering the ecosystem. The new generation of founders is more aware, more globally exposed and a lot more confident about building for India and for global markets. There’s also far better access to capital, mentors and early customers, which has lifted the overall quality of the ecosystem.

What hasn’t moved fast enough is discipline at the early stage. Many founders still overlook basic hygiene like governance, sensible valuations and sustainable business thinking. On the investor side, we still don’t have strong, broad-based angel networks outside the big cities or metros, so early risk capital remains concentrated. I believe that the ecosystem needs more grounded expectations and a longer-term view of value creation.

Inc42: What made you zero in on Jaipur for the Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026? What structural advantages or ecosystem signals that you believe outsiders underestimate?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: Jaipur gives you a rare window where a small push can create outsized impact. The state is just entering its early hockey-stick phase after almost a decade of steady ecosystem building, and that timing matters. The advantages here are often overlooked by outsiders.

The region offers strong cost and quality-of-life benefits, plenty of land and resources, and a government that’s both proactive and fast in its execution. The local investor community is also far more active than people realise. They’re not just ready to co-invest, they’re already writing cheques outside Rajasthan.

You also have the Delhi NCR corridor close by and a fast-growing talent pool. Put all of this together, and Rajasthan is in a sweet spot to scale quickly.

Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026 taps into this exact moment. It positions Jaipur not as an emerging hub, but as a serious candidate for global attention in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Inc42: Where do you see the state’s biggest untapped potential — talent, manufacturing, deeptech, or something else?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: Rajasthan’s biggest untapped opportunity is building a broad pipeline of early stage, tech-led startups across the state, instead of keeping innovation limited to a few centres. There’s plenty of talent in its universities and Tier II and III cities, and the cost structure gives young founders more room to experiment.

The state is also well placed for new-age manufacturing and deeptech R&D because land and infrastructure are still affordable. With the right push, Rajasthan can carve out a strong position in AI-led innovation, data centres, EVs, AVGC-XR, media-tech, agritech modernisation and sustainability-driven technology.

Inc42: With the Rajasthan government’s involvement, what collaborations between policy and innovation do you hope to strengthen or showcase this year?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: The Government of Rajasthan, through DoIT&C, has laid a strong foundation with digital public infrastructure, clear policy direction and a supportive environment for founders. At Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026, the aim is to drive that momentum.

The focus is on smoother, startup-friendly regulatory processes, more avenues for innovators to work on public-sector challenges, and new sandboxes in areas like AI, sustainability, media-tech, cyber security and digital governance. There’s also a big push to open up clearer pathways for manufacturing and large-scale deeptech investment.

The summit will show how policymakers and entrepreneurs can work together in a practical way to speed up ecosystem growth.

Inc42: What will make Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026 fundamentally different from previous editions – in format, impact and experience?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: This is the first TiE Global Summit to be hosted outside a metro, and it shows that world-class entrepreneurship platforms can thrive well beyond the usual hubs. The 10th edition of TGS brings Rajasthan DigiFest into the fold, widens global participation from more than 30 countries, and puts real weight behind curated investor–startup meetings, sustainability themes and practical learning.

The goal isn’t just scale. It’s to drive deeper outcomes: more meaningful deals, stronger networks and collaborations that continue long after the summit ends.

Inc42: How are you embedding sustainability not just as a word but as an operational and thematic element within the event?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: Sustainability runs through every part of the summit, be it the tracks, the operations and the partnerships. The sessions look at the circular economy, responsible AI, climate innovation and long-term business fundamentals. On the ground, we’re focusing on local sourcing, digital-first processes, cutting down waste and working with sustainability-driven startups. The entire DigiFest x TiE Global Summit will be fully carbon neutral.

The idea is to walk the talk and set the mindset we want founders and investors to carry forward — growth that’s grounded in responsibility and built to last.

Inc42: What core shift do you want Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026 to trigger for founders, investors and the Rajasthan ecosystem, and what kind of regional and national growth do you hope this edition accelerates?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: The shift we’re pushing for is grounded entrepreneurship. Founders need to stay close to fundamentals, build real customer value and scale in a way that’s sustainable. For investors, the ask is patient capital and deeper engagement beyond the metros. We also want more non-tech business leaders and HNIs to look at this space and step in as angels or LPs. That can open up retail investment across Bharat in a meaningful way.

For the state, the focus is on widening the early stage pipeline across districts, driving job creation and GDP growth, encouraging a tech-forward investment culture and positioning Rajasthan as both a national and global innovation hub. The state’s power surplus can also be a big asset for EVs, data centres and other energy-intensive industries.

In the long run, the vision is simple. We want global tech companies to see Rajasthan as a natural base for their India strategy.

Inc42: What gaps do you still see in India’s angel investing landscape, and how can platforms like TGS help reset founder-investor expectations and mindset?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: India needs a more structured, distributed, wider and deeper angel network ecosystem outside metro cities. Many angels are first-time investors who require education on portfolio strategy, risk, and founder support. Founders, on the other hand, need a more realistic understanding of valuations, dilution and sustainable growth.

Rajasthan DigiFest X TGS provides a neutral ground for both sides to interact, learn, and align. Investor roundtables, pitch sessions, and masterclasses help professionalise early stage investing and reset expectations on both sides. Service providers will also get access to young, early stage startups and founders.

Inc42: Having built and backed multiple companies, what do you think founders underestimate the most about building sustainable businesses?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: Founders often underestimate unit economics, governance discipline and the patience it takes to build something that lasts. Many chase quick scale without validating product–market fit or putting together a resilient team. The ones who tend to break out are those who stay close to the core of their business, keep their fundamentals tight, and still stay flexible enough to adapt or pivot when the market demands it.

Inc42: What is the single biggest challenge India’s startup ecosystem must solve today? How do you think the 10th TGS 2026 would contribute to fixing it?

Mahavir Pratap Sharma: The biggest challenge is the gap between ambition and disciplined execution. India has no shortage of talent or ideas, but we still need stronger fundamentals — better governance, tighter cash flow management, sensible valuations and long-term capability building.

The other challenge is our dependence on foreign capital for late stage funding. We need to help UHNIs and family offices understand this asset class better so that more domestic capital comes into play.

Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026 aims to narrow these gaps by bringing together global leaders, seasoned investors, policymakers and operators who can share practical frameworks and real-world experience. The goal is to give founders the tools to build in a more responsible and sustainable way.