The North Star Annual Report
Research Partner
The North Star Annual Report by WeWork Labs tracks the Indian startup ecosystem, directly from the frontlines. The report captures the dynamic evolution of the ecosystem and its expanding influence on the country's economic and social landscape. It provides a comprehensive overview, which features global benchmarks, insights from founders and analysis of emerging trends shaping the future of innovation in India.
The name North Star draws inspiration from a widely used startup metric that represents a company's core aspiration and long-term vision. We hope that this report can help serve as a guiding light for founders and stakeholders in the same way, as they navigate the complexities and opportunities within the Indian startup landscape.
Holistic Overview
Understanding India's economic performance in the startup ecosystem benchmarked against leading economies.
Founder-led Survey
Real-world perspectives from entrepreneurs in the WeWork Labs community highlighting evolving priorities, challenges, and growth strategies.
Trend-based Insights
An analysis of key trends, investment patterns and sector-specific whitespaces that will help you decode the Indian startup ecosystem.
Report Highlights
23 mos
to raise a round for startup founders
$17B
in market size for AI in India in 2027
9B+
transactions per month in UPI
1B+
middle-class consumers by 2047
Expert Insights on the North Star Report
Pranav Pai
Founding Partner, 3one4 Capital
“The North Star Report serves as an essential guide, illuminating key opportunities and trends that will shape India's entrepreneurial future in the journey toward a $10T economy.”
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta
CEO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)
“The North Star Report provides crucial insights into India's evolving startup landscape, with particular focus on emerging tech clusters that will drive the next wave of innovation.”
Saurabh Arora
Co-founder, Plum
“The North Star Report proves to be a timely compass: mapping the intersection of purpose-led growth and governance that today's founders can't afford to overlook.”
Dhanush Ram
Principal, Speciale Invest
“The North Star Report offers a clear perspective on the startup ecosystem's current state, delivering insights in an accessible way that resonates with industry stakeholders.”
Jarshad N.K
Editor-in-Chief, YourStory Media
“The North Star Report effectively captures the evolving narrative of India's startup ecosystem, making it an indispensable resource for those following the innovation story.”
Access our curated content on the startup ecosystem
Access our handpicked resources
Evolution of Indian Entrepreneurship
Explore Indian entrepreneurship's evolution from License Raj challenges to today's startup-friendly ecosystem.
India's Creator Economy
Discover India's booming creator economy, influencer rise, D2C successes, and creator monetization challenges.
India's New Alcohol Landscape
Explore India's alcohol market evolution, gin demand, premium spirit trends, Gen Z impact, and regulations.
Femtech Space in India
Discover the future of Femtech in India, driven by rising demand for women's health technology solutions.
Premiumisation wave in Indian retail
Learn how homegrown brands are capitalizing on the premiumisation wave sweeping across the Indian retail market.
India’s Startup Shift: The Rise of Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities
Learn how the ecosystem is shifting beyond metros as Tier 2 and 3 cities are becoming startup hotspots.
About WeWork Labs
At WeWork Labs, we believe in the power of innovation and the immense potential of startups to shape the future. As the startup acceleration arm of WeWork, we have had the privilege of working closely with entrepreneurs at various stages of their journey, witnessing firsthand the passion, resilience, and ingenuity that define India's startup ecosystem.