Jaipur: Celebrations for IT Day saw Rajasthan govt maintain its emphasis on startups rather than drawing major information technology, industry insiders said, pointing to the the limited operations of Infosys, Wipro, and a few others in the region. They said the absence of leading IT companies not only strangled the sector’s growth in the state in the past, but also forced local talent to seek opportunities outside the state.
Whilst IT-centric cities like Bangalore, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, and other tier-II locations thrived due to their technological infrastructure, Jaipur’s initial startup growth was hampered by the absence of an established IT foundation, specialists added. Nevertheless, the situation transformed significantly with the emergence of GenAI.
“While the absence of the big names in the IT industry impacted the startup ecosystem, it is no longer a hurdle in the AI era. In fact, the expansion of big companies, as it used to be, is under threat now because of AI. So, the chances of them opening new centres in Jaipur are very low,” said Mahavir Sharma, former Chairman of TiE Global.
Despite the challenges, Jaipur secured its position amongst India’s top 7 startup destinations, with potential for further advancement. “AI has given the level-playing field. Also, IT star cities are choking with traffic and pollution. Jaipur is a relief from that front, and it also offers a lower cost of doing business,” added Sharma.
He acknowledges that the state’s performance could have been superior previously. He noted how professionals who left lucrative positions at IT firms in established hubs created successful startups there, representing an opportunity Jaipur initially missed.
“We neither had the big IT companies then, nor the startups. While the macro-conditions were adversarial, whatever success stories we could churn out, it is because of our Rajasthani trademark entrepreneur spirit,” added Sharma.
He said Jaipur may have missed the IT bus, but it is very much on the startup orbit.
