The Delhi Cabinet has approved the creation of the Go-Delhi Foundation with an initial budgetary outlay of ₹50 crore, aiming to connect startups, researchers, educational institutions, industry and government departments through a common platform for product development and innovation.
The decision, taken by the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, was announced by the Chief Minister’s Office in a statement. The proposed foundation will support young people, entrepreneurs and researchers in turning ideas into practical products and enterprises, the statement said.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Delhi has nearly 21,000 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The foundation, she said, would bring the city’s entrepreneurial capabilities, educational institutions and research facilities together, with an emphasis on developing new enterprises, attracting investment and creating employment.
The initiative is also intended to address a common gap between an idea and its commercial or public use. According to the CMO, the Go-Delhi Foundation will help startups and micro, small and medium enterprises access product engineering, prototyping, laboratory and testing facilities. It will provide mentorship and support at different stages, including product development, testing, certification preparation and market access.
The foundation will be established as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. It will function under the Delhi government’s Department of Industries, placing the initiative within the existing administrative structure responsible for promoting industry and entrepreneurship in the capital.
The Cabinet decision also proposes a direct link between government requirements and private innovation. Government departments will be able to bring their operational challenges to innovators through the foundation. Products and technologies developed in response could then be tested through pilot projects, with solutions that perform successfully considered for further adoption, the CMO said.
This model would give government departments access to new technologies and allow startups to demonstrate whether their products can address practical public-sector needs. The stated areas of collaboration include government, industry, educational institutions and innovators, although the Cabinet announcement did not specify the departments that will participate first, the selection process for startups or the timeline for the foundation’s operational launch.
The initiative therefore combines two functions: providing technical and institutional support to early-stage enterprises, and creating a route through which Delhi’s public agencies can test locally developed solutions. Its initial implementation will depend on the establishment of the Section 8 company, the deployment of the sanctioned funds and the design of processes for selecting projects, accessing facilities and evaluating pilots.
