Manas Yash Sunita Pal, Co-Founder, PedalStart

Manas Yash Sunita Pal is dedicated to enabling founders and fostering startup growth. With extensive experience in building operations, scaling businesses, and mentoring at NITI Aayog, he has supported numerous startups through acceleration programs, networking, and investor connections. Passionate about innovation, he bridges the gap between founders and investors to create impactful entrepreneurial ecosystems.

India’s startup ecosystem is no longer just about hustle it is about smart, scalable disruption. Fueled by AI, climate-conscious innovation, and supportive policies, it has created over 17.28 lakh jobs, expanded globally, and shifted its focus from speed to sustainable impact, redefining what entrepreneurial success truly means.

How are government initiatives like ‘Startup India’ and ‘Stand-up India’ reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape beyond just funding particularly in creating sustainable ecosystems for long-term startup growth?

Government initiatives like Startup India and Stand up India are doing much more than just providing funding they’re actively reshaping India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to create long-term, sustainable growth:

Policy Simplification & Regulatory Ease: These programs have introduced easier compliances, fast tracked patent filings, and exemptions on labor and environmental inspections for startups. This regulatory relief streamlines operations, freeing founders to focus on scaling rather than paperwork.

Robust Incubation Infrastructure: Through grants and partnerships, there's been a massive expansion of incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs including PedalStart. These offer mentorship, co working spaces, R&D labs, and access to industry networks that nurture startups from ideation to commercialization.

Financial Ecosystem Support: The programs boost credit guarantee schemes, tax incentives, and investor friendly reforms. These build a supportive financial scaffold around startups, reducing risk and attracting long term capital.

Collaboration between established corporations and startups is no longer a trend — it’s a necessity for creating disruptive business models that solve real-world problems at scale.

How can startups strategically balance rapid innovation with regulatory compliance to turn India’s complex policy environment from a barrier into a competitive advantage?

In India’s dynamic and often complex regulatory landscape, startups can transform compliance from a roadblock into a strategic edge by embedding it into their core innovation processes. At PedalStart, we believe compliance and agility aren’t mutually exclusive they can coexist to create sustainable, trust-led growth.

The first step is embedding compliance into the startup DNA from day one. Rather than treating it as a post-scale burden, startups must design operations with regulatory foresight, aligning with tax, data, labor, and environmental laws early on.

Secondly, leveraging adaptive technology can automate compliance tracking, reporting, and updates allowing startups to focus on product innovation without fear of penalties. RegTech integrations are fast becoming an enabler, not a cost center.

Startups also need to be proactive in engaging with policymakers, through associations and think tanks. By sharing ground realities and challenges, startups can play a role in shaping future-ready regulations that are more inclusive of innovation.

Lastly, transparent compliance builds credibility and investor confidence turning cautious VCs into long-term partners. At PedalStart, we actively mentor founders to approach policy as a pillar not a hurdle of growth.

What role does collaboration between established corporations and startups play in fostering disruptive business models, and how can this synergy be scaled across diverse Indian industries?

Collaboration between established corporations and startups is no longer a trend it’s a necessity for creating disruptive business models that solve real-world problems at scale. Startups bring agility, innovation, and niche problem-solving capabilities. In contrast, corporates offer distribution, deep industry knowledge, and infrastructure. When these two ecosystems collaborate, the outcome is powerful: disruption with direction.

At PedalStart, we’ve seen firsthand how mentorship, pilot programs, and co-creation between startups and corporates result in faster GTM, refined products, and scalable solutions. Such partnerships also de-risk innovation for large companies while giving startups credibility and access to new markets.

To scale this synergy across diverse Indian industries from agriculture and healthcare to fintech and sustainability we need structured interfaces, corporate venture arms, innovation labs, and accelerator partnershipsFor instance, Reliance Industries has strategically collaborated with multiple startups across sectors be it in telecom, retail, or clean energy helping them scale via JioGenNext and other platforms. Similarly, Mahindra Group has been actively partnering with startups in agritech, mobility, and EVs to co-develop future-ready solutions. These examples show how large Indian conglomerates are embracing startup-led innovation to stay agile and future-proof.

Considering the recent funding challenges and investor caution, what alternative financial models or growth strategies are Indian startups adopting to remain resilient and competitive?

With funding winter casting a long shadow over the Indian startup ecosystem, founders are increasingly adopting alternative financial models and leaner growth strategies to stay resilient and competitive.

Rather than chasing hypergrowth at all costs, startups are now focusing on building sustainable unit economics, delaying discretionary spends, and extending runway through smarter cash flow management. Revenue-first approaches like bootstrapping and customer-funded models are gaining traction, ensuring that growth is not dependent solely on external capital.

There’s also a visible shift towards debt financing, revenue-based financing, and crowdfunding, as startups diversify beyond equity funding. At PedalStart, we’ve seen founders explore partnerships, licensing models, and even strategic alliances to scale with limited capital.

Additionally, founders are embracing ‘build in India', sell to the world’ strategies to tap into global markets with lower burn. Many are also simplifying product offerings to target core use-cases that solve real, immediate problems for their users.

This cautious yet creative approach is driving a return to fundamentals profitable growth, customer obsession, and capital efficiency. At PedalStart, we actively mentor founders on how to navigate this shift by focusing on sustainable scaling and long-term value creation, not just short-term valuations.

Also Read: Top 10 Indian Fintech Leaders Steering the Nation's Financial Future

How are India’s startups leveraging digital infrastructure and internet penetration to not only disrupt urban markets but also solve deeply rooted problems in rural and underserved areas?

India’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure fueled by initiatives like Digital India, affordable smartphones, and deep internet penetration is empowering startups to unlock opportunities far beyond metros. At PedalStart, we’re witnessing a new wave of ‘Bharat-first’ innovation, where founders are building tech-led solutions that directly address rural and semi-urban challenges.

Startups are leveraging UPI, Aadhaar, and Jan Dhan integration to bring digital financial services to the unbanked. Platforms in agritech are connecting farmers with real-time market data, precision farming tools, and direct-to-consumer models transforming livelihoods.

At PedalStart, we guide startups to think inclusively not just scaling down urban models, but building for the unique needs of the next 500 million users. This rural-tech revolution is not just about disruption; it’s about meaningful, equitable impact.

What unique challenges do Indian startups face in attracting and retaining talent, and how are innovative HR practices or culture-building efforts making a difference in this competitive war for skilled professionals?

Indian startups today are witnessing a surge in opportunities with the expanding ecosystem, but this has also intensified the challenge of attracting and retaining talent. With a growing number of platforms and ventures, professionals frequently switch jobs, leading to high attrition rates. Early-stage startups often struggle to match industry pay scales, making it difficult to retain talent even after the venture stabilizes.

To counter this, startups are focusing on building strong team cultures where members resonate with the vision and grow together. Culture-building is no longer an afterthought it’s a strategic priority. Founders are realising that hiring people with the right mindset is more valuable than hiring only for niche skills. Generic, adaptable professionals those eager to learn, take initiative, and grow are proving to be key assets in scaling a startup. They bring agility and openness, which is crucial in fast-evolving environments.