Startup Policy Forum unveils New Economy Collective to connect Indian startups and global firms
As global interest in India’s innovation economy gathers pace, the Startup Policy Forum (SPF) has launched the New Economy Collective (NEC), a platform designed to connect international companies with India’s startup ecosystem and help Indian firms expand overseas.
“India today isn’t just part of the global conversation. It is at the centre of it,” said Shweta Rajpal Kohli, SPF’s president and CEO, citing rising engagement from founders, investors and policymakers across markets. The NEC is intended to formalise what Kohli described as a two-way movement: global companies seeking India’s scale and talent, and Indian startups increasingly eyeing international expansion.
She said the timing reflects an inflection point in technology and policy collaboration, pointing to the recent India AI Impact Summit 2026 as a sign of growing convergence between global and domestic stakeholders. SPF said the Collective will function as a strategic interface to simplify market access and regulatory navigation.
It aims to help global new-age firms understand India’s policy and innovation landscape, while supporting Indian startups in entering overseas markets with greater confidence. Kohli described it as a platform that “paves pathways and partnerships for the next decade.” The forum’s existing network provides the base for the expansion.
SPF represents more than 75 high-growth startups with a combined valuation exceeding $100 billion. Its members include 22 unicorns and 14 listed new-age companies across sectors and growth stages. With the NEC, SPF is positioning itself as both a domestic policy voice and a global connector.
“The two platforms will now form a powerful continuum, the Forum shaping India’s startup policy narrative, the Collective paving global pathways for market access and collaboration,” Kohli said. Early signals are already visible, according to SPF: multinational companies are approaching the forum, and Indian startups are looking beyond borders.
Kohli said the NEC gives that momentum a structured platform, adding that by connecting ecosystems and stakeholders, the initiative aims to support India as an attractive investment destination and build bridges in both directions.