Gurugram, 3-4 July 2023: Startups and new business creation play a pivotal role in the knowledge economy of G20 nations. To ensure the global innovation community’s voice reaches  G20 Leaders, India has established Startup20, a new G20 engagement group launched in 2023 under G20 India. Throughout its various meetings, Startup20 has brought together a global community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem builders to discuss how policymakers can enable startups and scaleups, facilitate investments, and support startups working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During the Startup20 summit, a policy communique was released, marking the first time a G20 body releases a document entirely dedicated to startups and entrepreneurship. Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan, ERIA Director of Strategy and Partnership and Co-Chair of the Inclusion Task Force of Startup20, contributed to the drafting of the document.

The Startup20 Summit was inaugurated by Shri. Amitabh Kant, Sherpa G20 India, and witnessed the participation of Shri. Piyush Goyal, Hon'ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Textiles. They emphasised the importance of new venture creations for the Indian economy and the G20 as a whole.

Dr Giulia Ajmone Marsan spoke in the opening panel titled ‘Building an Interoperable Global Startup Ecosystem.’ ‘Global networks of skilled and innovative individuals, like Startup20, are key to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship globally,’ she said. She also highlighted the contribution that startups are making towards transitioning to inclusive and sustainable economies. The session was moderated by Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Chair of Startup20 and Mission Director for Atal Innovation Mission, under NITI Aayog. Other panelists included Nadir Godrej, Chair of the Sustainability Taskforce, Startup20; Vikram Khurana, Co-chair of the Alliances Taskforce, Startup20; Debjani Ghosh, Co-Chair of the Alliances Taskforce, Startup20; and Abha Rishi, Co-Chair of the Foundation Taskforce, Startup20.

Dr Ajmone Marsan, together with the Startup20 Knowledge Team and fellow Inclusion Task force members, also co-organised the panel discussion on the second day of the event titled ‘Building an Inclusive Startup Ecosystem.’ This panel focused on startups, innovation, and inclusive development, delving into the work of the Startup20 Inclusion Task Force in detail. The session covered the significance of including women entrepreneurs, people with disabilities, transgender groups, young people, and underrepresented groups in the global innovation ecosystem. It also explored technological trends for inclusion, such as femtech (technology addressing female heath issues) and assistive technologies for people with disabilities. The panel was moderated by Harjinder Kaur Talwar, Chair of the Inclusion Task Force, Startup20; Etta Watta Russel, Founder of Lactamo, Australia; Mahmudul Hassan, UNDP, Bangladesh; Thibault Danjou, Investment Advisor, Phitrust, France; Catherine Holloway, Professor at UCL, UK; and Amit Kumar, Director, Sales, Google Cloud, India.