Hyderabad, 14th May 2026: India’s startup hiring landscape is shifting from broad-based, volume-led recruitment to a more specialised, productivity-led model, with startup jobs projected to grow 12% YoY in 2026, according to the latest foundit Insights Tracker report by Asia’s leading jobs and talent platform foundit. Startup jobs increased from 116,080 in April 2025 to 130,010 in April 2026, adding approximately 14,000 new jobs over the year.
The report highlights a clear shift toward technology-led hiring, with IT services accounting for 34% of startup jobs, while Emerging Tech / AI & SaaS contributes approximately 14% share. Within IT hiring, AI and data roles now account for 32%, up from 24% in the previous year, indicating that nearly one-third of all technology hiring in startups is now AI-led.
The startup ecosystem has also continued to expand, with the overall base rising to approximately 172,000 startups in 2026, compared to 161,150 in 2025.
“India’s startup hiring market is entering a more mature phase,” said Tarun Sinha, CEO, foundit. “Startups are no longer hiring purely for scale; they are hiring for capability, productivity, and business impact. The rise of AI-led roles, stronger demand for mid-level professionals, and growing participation from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities show that the ecosystem is becoming deeper, more distributed, and more skills-driven.”
Startup Hiring Growth Trajectory
India’s startup hiring has seen strong expansion over the last three years, although growth is now moderating into a more sustainable phase.
|
Period |
Startup Jobs |
YoY Growth |
|
April 2024 |
88,020 |
14% |
|
April 2025 |
116,080 |
32% |
|
April 2026 |
130,010 |
12% |
Startup hiring grew 6% over the last three months, with full-year 2026 hiring growth forecast at 12%. While the pace has moderated from the strong 32% growth seen in 2025, the composition of hiring has shifted sharply toward high-value roles in AI, data, product, consulting, healthcare, and fintech.
IT Services Lead Hiring
Technology-led sectors continue to dominate startup employment. IT services increased its share from 32% in April 2025 to 34% in April 2026, making it the largest contributor to startup jobs.
|
Industry |
April 2023 |
April 2024 |
April 2025 |
April 2026 |
|
IT Services |
20% |
23% |
32% |
34% |
|
BFSI / Fintech |
11% |
10% |
11% |
12% |
|
Healthcare |
7% |
6% |
9% |
11% |
|
Internet |
12% |
9% |
8% |
7% |
|
BPM / BPO |
6% |
6% |
7% |
7% |
|
Education / E-learning / Edtech |
8% |
8% |
5% |
3% |
|
Media & Entertainment |
7% |
6% |
3% |
3% |
Tier-2 and Tier-3 Growth
Startup hiring is becoming more distributed, with Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities steadily gaining share.
|
City Tier |
April 2024 |
April 2025 |
April 2026 |
|
Tier-1 |
91% |
69% |
64% |
|
Tier-2 / Tier-3 |
9% |
31% |
36% |
Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities now account for 36% of startup jobs, up sharply from 9% in April 2024. This reflects the growing availability of skilled talent outside traditional metros, lower operating costs, and the rise of distributed teams.
Emerging cities such as Jaipur, Indore, Kochi, and Coimbatore are gaining traction. Jaipur and Indore each account for around 3% share of startup jobs, while Kochi and Coimbatore contribute around 2% each. These cities also account for approximately 12% of new startups.
Bengaluru Leads Startup Hiring, Hyderabad Gains Share
Bengaluru remains India’s largest startup hiring hub, but its share has declined as startup activity becomes more geographically distributed.
|
Location |
April 2023 |
April 2024 |
April 2025 |
April 2026 |
|
Bengaluru |
33% |
31% |
21% |
20% |
|
Delhi / NCR |
21% |
23% |
14% |
14% |
|
Mumbai |
17% |
18% |
11% |
10% |
|
Hyderabad |
3% |
5% |
8% |
10% |
|
Pune |
14% |
9% |
8% |
7% |
|
Chennai |
4% |
5% |
7% |
8% |
Mid-Level Talent Gains
Startups are increasingly hiring experienced professionals who can deliver execution, ownership, and faster business outcomes.
|
Experience Level |
April 2025 |
April 2026 |
|
0–3 years |
41% |
36% |
|
4–6 years |
28% |
31% |
|
7–10 years |
15% |
17% |
|
11–15 years |
11% |
11% |
|
15+ years |
5% |
5% |
The share of entry-level hiring declined from 41% in 2025 to 36% in 2026, while the 4-10 years’ experience segment now accounts for 48% of hiring.
This means nearly 1 in 2 startup hires in 2026 are mid-level professionals. The shift reflects startups’ growing preference for execution-ready talent, especially in AI, product, engineering, sales, consulting, and business operations.
Salary Trends: ₹3–10 LPA Remains the Core Startup Hiring Band
Startup compensation trends show that hiring is concentrated in mid-market salary bands, with selective demand for high-skill premium roles.
|
Salary Band |
Share of Startup Jobs |
Insight |
|
₹0–6 LPA |
54% |
Entry and early mid roles dominate |
|
₹6–15 LPA |
34% |
Core mid-level hiring band |
|
₹15–50 LPA |
10% |
High-skill, niche roles |
|
₹50 LPA+ |
~2% |
Leadership and specialised talent |
Nearly 70% of startup roles are concentrated in the ₹3-10 LPA range, highlighting strong demand for mid-level, execution-ready talent. High-paying roles of ₹15 LPA and above account for around 12% of hiring, driven by demand for specialised skills in AI, product, technology leadership, data science, and business strategy. Entry-level roles below ₹3 LPA are gradually declining in importance as startups raise skill expectations and reduce low-complexity hiring.