Rathnakar Samavedam, Investment Director and Managing Partner, Hyderabad Angles Fund (haf.vc) – VC
“The Budget meets India’s structural requirements over the long term with a strong emphasis on small industries through dedicated funds such as the Small Industries Fund and the Resilient India Fund. The exemption on income tax for data centers gives a big fillip to digital infrastructure, and cross-border e-commerce opportunities unlock new routes for growth. This is a balanced and growth-oriented Budget for the economy and the startup ecosystem.”
Abhineet Kumar, CEO & Founder, Rocket Health (Mental Health Tech)
“Delighted to see the budget acknowledging the mental healthcare ecosystem in India and announcing new national-level mental healthcare institutions aimed at improving care delivery, training and research. It’s a strong start and will go a long way in developing the mental healthcare infrastructure in our country. I’m glad we are also doubling down in pharma manufacturing and expanding medical seats to address doctor shortages — both much needed steps to improve access for our billion strong population and strengthen India’s position as a global healthcare leader.”
Iesh Dixit, Co-founder and CEO, Powerplay (Construction Tech)
“This Budget makes one thing very clear: infrastructure is no longer a metro-only story. The real action is about to move to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where MSME contractors will be executing more projects, faster, and at far greater scale than before. But here’s the hard truth – money and momentum alone won’t fix execution. As infrastructure spending accelerates, the weakest link will be on-ground coordination, visibility, and cash discipline. Construction businesses will have to professionalise quickly, or they’ll get left behind. For us at Powerplay, this is a stress test for the ecosystem. The next phase of India’s infra boom will reward those who can build with data.”
Parth Chadha, Co-Founder & CEO, STAN (Gaming/ Content creators)
“Seeing Creator Labs come into schools and colleges is a powerful signal that the country is preparing the next generation for careers in the creative and digital world. What started as a grassroots movement is now part of India’s broader vision for the ‘orange economy.’ At STAN, we’ve believed early in the potential of creators and communities, so this feels like a real moment of validation and a reminder to keep building with even greater responsibility.”
Vinay Nair, Founder, KhetiBuddy (Agritech/ Agriculture)
“The launch of Bharat Vistaar is a major step towards developing a common digital framework for the agricultural sector in India. By providing access to soil, weather, advisory, and scheme-related data in a federated manner, it will be possible to make better decisions at the farm level.
The actual benefit will be realized when these platforms are integrated with other systems such as Verdant, which is used by food companies. By integrating farm-level intelligence with procurement, quality, and inventory management systems, it will be possible to eliminate inefficiencies and minimize resource waste. In the long run, this will enable more sustainable agricultural practices and enhance the resilience of the food value chain in India.”
