Hyderabad, 27–29 January 2023: Innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial to strengthen and accelerate the post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery across the globe. However, global policy dialogue to promote start-up creation and scale-ups is still at its infancy. For this reason, under its G20 Presidency, India has created, Startup20, a new G20 engagement group dedicated to new business ventures, entrepreneurship, and innovation ecosystems. The first inception meeting of Startup20 took place in Hyderabad, India, on 27–29 January 2023.

Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Director of Strategy and Partnership at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) discussed with representatives from G20 countries, international organisations, businesses, and funders the need to promote a more inclusive global innovation ecosystem, where women, people with disability, and other disadvantaged groups are represented and able to compete and excel. Dr Ajmone Marsan also highlighted the need to define more accurate indicators to compare and measure startup evolution and success across G20 members and the importance of global circulation of talent, a key ingredient of vibrant innovation eco-systems. She also described the dynamism of ASEAN startups, especially in the digital space, to various G20 delegations and organisations.

The inception meeting benefitted from the participation of senior Indian policymakers: Shri Amitabh Kant, Indian G20 Sherpa; Shri Som Parkash, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry; Shri Parameswaran Iyer, CEO of NITI Aayog. Shri Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of the Government of Telangana, welcomed the G20 delegation and showed them the newly developed technology and innovation district in Hyderabad.

ERIA will contribute to Startup20 its research, insights, and knowledge production through Startup20 task forces, meetings, and side events throughout 2023.