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Bengaluru retains top spot for entrepreneur homes, while Mumbai, Gurgaon move up in rankings
The city also retains its position as India’s top startup hub, with 52 companies based in Bengaluru, though this marks a decline of 14 from last year.
Bengaluru remains the leading city for entrepreneur residences in India, hosting 88 founders. Mumbai follows closely with 83 founders, and Gurugram has 32, reflecting a gradual shift in the distribution of self-made entrepreneurs across the country.
IDFC FIRST Private Banking and Hurun India released the third edition of their 2025 list on Wednesday. The city also retains its position as India’s top startup hub, with 52 companies based in Bengaluru, though this marks a decline of 14 from last year.
Mumbai comes next with 41 companies, up by five, and Gurugram ranks third with 36 companies, also up by five, signalling growing entrepreneurial activity outside the traditional hub.
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Bengaluru-based founders include notable names such as Sriharsha Majety and Nandan Reddy of Swiggy. Mumbai is represented by Avenue Supermarts, founded by Radhakishan Damani, while Gurugram counts Eternal, led by Deepinder Goyal. Other cities in the top 10 include Chennai (15 founders), Pune (13), Hyderabad (12), Kolkata (10), Ahmedabad (9), and Jaipur (7).
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The distribution of companies mirrors the founder residences trend. Bengaluru leads with 52 ventures, followed by Mumbai (41) and Gurugram (36). Chennai hosts 11 companies, New Delhi 10, Hyderabad and Pune 8 each, Noida 7, Ahmedabad 5, and Jaipur and Kolkata 4 each. This spread demonstrates that entrepreneurial success is increasingly dispersed across multiple cities.
Education continues to be a key factor in producing entrepreneurs. Among undergraduates, IIT Delhi tops the list with 38 founders, followed by the University of Delhi (24) and IIT Kharagpur (21). For postgraduates, IIM Ahmedabad leads with 21 founders, followed by IIM Calcutta (12) and ISB (11).
Women entrepreneurs are also making a significant mark. Falguni Nayar and Adwaita Nayar of Nykaa top the list, with a company valuation of ₹67,500 crore, highlighting the growing influence of women in India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Overall, while Bengaluru remains the dominant hub for both startups and founder residences, Mumbai and Gurugram are gaining ground, signalling a more diversified and dynamic entrepreneurial landscape in India for 2025.
