The Delhi government has proposed setting up of a Rs 200-crore venture capital fund for investing in startups, among various other measures, as part of a draft for the Delhi Startup Policy 2025. The aim, as per the government, is to make the national capital “the most preferred destination for startups” in the next decade.The Industries department has put out the draft in the public domain, seeking comments and suggestions from stakeholders — including entrepreneurs, industry representatives, experts and the public — till September 3.A venture capital fund is a pool of capital from multiple investors for investment in early-stage startups in exchange for ownership shares in these companies.The fund “will deploy both equity and structured-debt instruments to bankroll high-potential ventures, while the government crowd-sources additional private money through co-investment pacts,” according to Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.Apart from the venture capital fund, the policy also provides for other financial incentives, such as 100% reimbursements on lease rentals for occupying co-working spaces, filing patents and putting up exhibition stalls, as well as a monthly allowance of Rs 2 lakh for one year towards operational costs.The policy aims to support the emergence of at least 5,000 startups by 2035 — its key areas of focus being healthcare services, hospitality, fintech, robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, drones, gaming and augmented reality, among others. It also mentions provisioning support in establishing incubation centres, fabrication labs and co-working spaces on the private model by providing capital and operational subsidies, but does not provide any more details about it.The government has also proposed the formation of a Policy Monitoring Committee chaired by the Commissioner of Industries that will be responsible for acquiring approvals from various departments.Story continues below this adA Startup Task Force, comprising government representatives, academics and largely experts from the private sector, will be evaluating and approving applications received from the nodal agency — the Industries department.Additionally, a ‘Delhi Startup Portal’ will be created that will function as a one-stop digital gateway offering single-window access to startup needs — from registrations and incentive applications to mentor matching, knowledge resources, and real-time grievance redressal.“The Delhi government’s Draft Start-up Policy 2025 is a promising initiative that can transform the city’s entrepreneurial landscape. With its focus on innovation, financial support, and inclusivity, this policy has the potential to establish Delhi as a global innovation hub,” Nikhil Agarwal, Managing Director, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, IIT Delhi, said.The 2025 policy of the BJP-led government is similar to the one released in 2022 by then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.Devansh Mittal is a trainee correspondent with The Indian Express. He studied political science at Ashoka University. He can be reached at devansh.mittal@expressindia.com. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Delhi governmentventure capital fund