India’s startup narrative has broken free from the glass towers of its metro cities. As the next wave of innovation unfolded, a significant drift to heartland India became imperative in the last couple of years.

Rajasthan, a state traditionally known for its heritage and tourism, turned up to lead the shift, rapidly emerging as a hub of digital entrepreneurship.

With more than 53 Mn internet users, including 26 Mn in rural areas, Rajasthan’s internet penetration has reached 65%, sending out a clear image of how rapidly it has been digitising the populace. The push for connectivity has brought more than 9,000 gram panchayats online through over 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots.

The state’s iStart initiative has successfully fostered a robust startup ecosystem, now supporting over 7,200 startups. This rapid growth has generated significant economic and social benefits, including the creation of more than 42,500 jobs and the facilitation of over INR 1,000 Cr in investments.

Notably, the programme has achieved broad sectoral reach—spanning fintech, e-commerce, cleantech, edtech, and healthcare—with 2,600 of these ventures being led by women. This strong momentum is sustained by supportive policies and infrastructure that enable young companies to build and scale.

Jaipur did play the primary hub of this digital transformation, but the impact has started resonating with the entrepreneurial pulse beating aloud from Tier II cities like Jodhpur and Udaipur. Jodhpur, in particular, has seen a surge in tech startups, especially across the IT and ecommerce sectors, marking a pivotal decentralisation of the state’s startup ecosystem.

This vibrant, bustling ecosystem makes Rajasthan a perfect fertile ground to host the Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026, where ideas bloom into reality.

To get an insight into the making of this summit and gain clarity in understanding Rajasthan’s tech ambition, Inc42 caught up with veteran technocrat Dr Ajay Data, who is the founder-president of TiE Rajasthan and the key organising force behind the summit.

Dr Data, who has scaled deeptech ventures from a Tier- II city himself, brings a rare perspective on what it takes to build a globally relevant startup from smaller Indian cities. In a candid interaction, he explained the strategy behind curating the summit, the global congregation, the speaker lineup, and the precise targeting of patient capital for TGS100 startups.

He also shared insights on leveraging the TiE global network for cross-border deals and the ethical imperatives of the AI revolution. He ended the conversation with suggestions for the next generation of Indian founders to shape an inclusive digital future.

Here are the edited excerpts........

© Inc42