India News | Gujarat's I-Hub Leads India's Charge Towards Start-up Driven Economy
Gujarat’s i-Hub is rapidly emerging as a cornerstone in India’s start-up and innovation ecosystem, empowering entrepreneurs with affordable infrastructure, strategic mentorship, and critical state support.
As India pushes towards a start-up-driven economy, this government-backed initiative is setting a precedent for how public infrastructure can accelerate private enterprise. Designed not just as a co-working space but a full-fledged innovation hub, i-Hub offers early-stage ventures access to subsidised workstations, business mentoring, and direct linkage with key government departments. Entrepreneurs pay as little as ₹3,000 per seat, a fraction of traditional commercial rents, while receiving a suite of value-added services. Joy Spoon co-founder Vaishali Mehta described i-Hub’s contribution as “game-changing,” citing not just low-cost infrastructure but also a crucial ₹8 lakh government grant that provided vital financial support. “It’s not just a workspace. It’s where ideas find wings,” she said.
This view is echoed by Meet Joshi, founder of Sah Astitva Pvt Ltd, who credited the facility’s strong network and shared learning environment for solving challenges that would have otherwise required extensive external support. “Everything is integrated—from infrastructure to official access. It eliminates isolation and accelerates progress,” Joshi said. For others like Akash Shah of B2B One Mart, the value of ongoing mentorship is a critical differentiator. “Outside, we’d spend ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 a month for an office. Here it’s ₹3,000 per seat—and when we hit roadblocks, they immediately connect us with a mentor. That kind of responsiveness is rare,” Shah said. The state’s top performance on the Ease of Doing Business index has laid the groundwork for Gujarat to attract both national and global attention. But i-Hub goes a step further by actively creating an ecosystem where collaboration, not competition, drives growth.
With seamless access to government resources, proximity to like-minded ventures, and a strong support system, i-Hub is fast becoming the nerve centre of Gujarat’s innovation movement. It is not only enabling entrepreneurs to launch with minimal capital but also helping them sustain and scale. As India transitions towards an innovation-led economic model, Gujarat—led by initiatives like i-Hub—is not just keeping pace but leading the charge.
