The 17th edition of the five-day-long annual Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), touted by many as the world’s biggest literary extravaganza, got underway in the capital of Rajasthan on January 30.
The JLF 2025, which is being held from January 30 to February 3 at Hotel Clarks Amer, is expected to see participation from over a million attendees and nearly 2,000 speakers.
Over the years, the JLF has become a melting pot of ideas, cultures, thought-provoking discussions and, more importantly, innovations. Contributing to the JLF’s innovative side is the Rajasthan government’s flagship initiative iStart. This is the fifth consecutive year of collaboration between the JIF and iStart to provide a platform for the state’s growing startup ecosystem to showcase its achievements.
iStart is an initiative by the state government’s Department of IT and Communication to foster innovation and promote entrepreneurship in the state.
iStart-backed 130 startups, ranging from service-based and AR/VR to D2C startups, are showcasing their offerings at the JLF this year. The five-day festival will provide them an opportunity to gain visibility, network with attendees, and receive valuable feedback. Moreover, the startups are also exempted from paying the fee for booking an exhibition slot at the JLF.
Spotlight On Innovation: Startups Shining Brightly At JLF
Two startups that have grabbed the spotlight at the JLF are foodtech startup MyEats and edtech platform We Are One. The early-stage bootstrapped startups are standing out from others because of their distinctive offerings.
Founded by Amit Raj in 2025, MyEats aims to provide a seamless food delivery service by connecting local restaurants with consumers. Its mobile app allows users to browse menus, place orders, and track deliveries in real-time. The startup is also aiming to onboard food influencers to offer a short-video catalogue of food reels on its platform.
Meanwhile, We Are One, founded in 2022, offers courses across disciplines like esports training, UX/UI designing, game development and designing, and esports business management. It claims to have enrolled over 200 students to date.
The other early-stage startups from Rajasthan at the JLF include the likes of Jalvayu and Gauveda, which are offering finished goods and products to consumers on their website and other marketplaces.
Rajasthan’s Multi-Pronged Approach to Startup Growth
The Rajasthan government has been actively promoting its startup ecosystem through the iStart programme.
Launched in 2017, iStart serves as a comprehensive platform for startups, offering financial assistance, mentorship, and incubation support. The programme provides grants of up to INR 2 Cr based on a startup’s development stage — pre-seed, seed, or growth.
Recently, the state government hosted the ‘Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit’ with an aim to engage with private players and attract investments in Rajasthan.
Besides, the government has also taken a number of other steps like launching skilling policies and the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) policy to promote startups and emerging sectors in the state.
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