Piyush Goyal launches First-ever SCO Startup Forum ahead of SCO trade ministers meeting

The forum will lay the foundation for multilateral cooperation and engagement among the SCO Member States to develop and hone their startup ecosystems, collectively. 

Prasar Bharati Beijing Correspondent reports that Innovation and Startups will be the key focus area of SCO Heads of Government meeting on 30th November 2020 which will be hosted by India for the first time. 

The Forum shall identify areas of cooperation by launching multiple entrepreneurial activities like startup showcase through a dedicated virtual platform, mobilizing capital for startups, sharing of best practices, procuring social innovations, and knowledge exchange workshops etc.

India is currently the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world with over 35,000 startups, close to 25% of which are core technology startups operating in areas of AI, Robotics, Cloud Computing, IoT, Digital Health, Financial & Education Technology. 

India has organized many events in the run up to SCO Heads of Government meeting including ministerial meetings which have received support from all the SCO member states.