BRICS STARTUP FUND AND GLOBAL INCUBATOR NETWORK COULD OPEN NEW MARKETS FOR INDIAN ENTREPRENEURS

The BRICS summit in India is moving beyond traditional diplomacy and into an increasingly important area for entrepreneurs, with member countries working on proposals for a BRICS Incubator Network, a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund and a new framework for logistics and supply-chain cooperation. The proposals could create a new international platform connecting startups, incubators, investors and government agencies across the expanded BRICS ecosystem and potentially give Indian entrepreneurs access to markets and business networks that are currently difficult to reach. The proposed BRICS Incubator Network is expected to function as a digital platform linking startups with incubators and relevant agencies across participating countries, while the Startup Innovation Fund is designed to support businesses at both early and growth stages. The timing is important because startups are operating in a global environment where access to capital, technology and international customers is becoming increasingly important. Indian startups have built one of the world’s largest entrepreneurial ecosystems, but a large share of startup activity remains concentrated in major technology centres such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad and Chennai. Internationalisation remains more difficult for companies based in emerging ecosystems because founders often lack access to foreign investors, distribution networks and local partners. A BRICS-wide startup network could potentially reduce some of those barriers by creating structured connections between entrepreneurs across countries. The opportunity becomes even more significant because the BRICS grouping now represents a large share of the global population and economic activity. India could use the platform to promote startups working in areas where the country has competitive capabilities, including fintech, digital payments, artificial intelligence, logistics technology, healthcare technology, clean energy, manufacturing technology and agricultural innovation. The proposed startup fund could also help address one of the biggest challenges faced by deep-tech companies: the shortage of patient capital. Traditional venture investors often prefer businesses capable of scaling quickly, but companies developing industrial technology, energy systems, advanced manufacturing or scientific applications can require years of development before reaching commercial scale. A dedicated international fund could potentially provide a different type of capital if the participating countries structure it around long-term innovation objectives. The logistics and supply-chain cooperation proposal is equally important because global trade has become increasingly vulnerable to disruptions in major shipping routes. The current energy and geopolitical crisis around the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea demonstrates how quickly international logistics costs can change. Businesses are therefore looking for more diversified supply chains, alternative transportation routes and greater resilience. BRICS cooperation could create opportunities for Indian logistics startups, supply-chain technology companies and manufacturers capable of serving multiple international markets. For Odisha, the implications could be particularly interesting. The state is attempting to develop itself as an industrial and logistics hub, supported by major ports, mineral resources, manufacturing clusters and expanding infrastructure. Odisha-based startups working in logistics, industrial technology, renewable energy, agriculture or manufacturing could potentially use international networks to find customers and strategic partners outside India. Bhubaneswar’s technology and startup ecosystem could also benefit if incubators and accelerators become more connected to international programmes. The real test, however, will be implementation. International initiatives frequently produce declarations and frameworks but deliver limited commercial impact unless there are clear funding mechanisms, transparent selection processes and practical market-access programmes. Entrepreneurs will judge the BRICS initiatives not by the language of summit declarations but by whether startups can actually secure investment, enter foreign markets, find customers and build partnerships. The proposed incubator network could become valuable if it provides founders with access to mentors, venture investors, corporate partners and regulatory information in participating countries. The startup fund could become even more important if it provides capital for businesses that traditional investors consider too early-stage or too capital-intensive. There is also a strategic dimension. India’s promotion of entrepreneurship through BRICS comes at a time when global trade relationships are becoming more fragmented. Startups that depend on a single foreign market or supply chain can be vulnerable to tariffs, geopolitical disputes and regulatory changes. A broader network across emerging economies could give Indian companies alternative markets and suppliers. For founders, this could mean thinking internationally much earlier in the company’s development. Instead of building a product exclusively for India and expanding overseas later, startups could potentially design solutions for multiple emerging markets from the beginning. The BRICS startup agenda therefore has the potential to become an important new chapter in India’s entrepreneurship story. If the proposed fund, incubator network and supply-chain framework are implemented effectively, they could help Indian entrepreneurs access capital, technology and markets across a much wider economic geography. For Neptune Talk, this is particularly relevant because the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs may not build companies that are India-only businesses. They may build companies designed from the beginning to serve emerging markets across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and beyond.