The Startup Policy Forum (SPF) — a collective of over 50+ leading new-age companies in India — has officially launched the Centre for New-Age Public Companies (CNPC), a pioneering initiative aimed at helping startups transition from private to public entities with resilience and regulatory confidence.
The launch took place in Mumbai during a high-level delegation meeting between 20 startup leaders and SEBI Chairman, Shri Tuhin Kanta Pandey. This marks a significant step towards creating a robust support system for the rising number of Indian startups preparing to go public.
Addressing a Growing Need in India’s IPO Ecosystem
With India’s capital markets outperforming global benchmarks and gaining investor trust, the momentum for domestic startup listings continues to grow. Industry experts estimate that nearly 40 startups, collectively valued at over $90 billion, are expected to launch IPOs in the coming months.
Recognizing the unique challenges startups face — from compliance and governance to investor relations and ESG disclosures — the CNPC will serve as a founder-driven platform tailored to their needs.
“India’s capital markets are witnessing a structural shift, with new-age and tech-driven companies increasingly dominating IPO pipelines and investor interest. The Centre will enhance readiness and resilience of new-age companies as they enter and thrive in public markets,” said Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum.
“The emergence of new-age companies in the public markets is a significant evolution. Initiatives like CNPC will promote better governance, transparency, and capital market preparedness while fostering trust among retail and institutional investors,” added Ashish Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE.
CNPC’s Four Pillars of Support
The Centre will operate on a comprehensive framework built on four core pillars:
-
Advocacy
Engaging with SEBI, policymakers, and market institutions to align evolving regulations with the unique nature of tech-enabled public companies. -
Capacity Building
Offering targeted workshops, webinars, and masterclasses on IPO readiness, corporate governance, compliance, and ESG standards. -
Community Engagement
Facilitating peer learning, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative problem-solving among founders, CFOs, and CXOs of listed and pre-IPO companies. -
Research & Insights
Publishing governance toolkits, investor communication templates, and market-readiness guides tailored for emerging public companies.
Backed by Industry Leaders
The SEBI delegation included top startup executives such as Ritesh Agarwal (OYO), Shashank Kumar (Razorpay), Rohit Kapoor (Swiggy), Ankit Fatehpuria (Zetwerk), Shashank ND (Practo), Sanket Shah (InVideo), Miten Sampat (CRED), Nischay AG (Jar), Ajay Lakhotia (StockGro), and other key leaders from ixigo, Acko, Bluestone, and Eazydiner.
A Timely Initiative for India’s Tech-Led Public Market
The SPF already includes several listed startups such as Swiggy, ixigo, Ather Energy, MobiKwik, and Blackbuck. Many more — including Pine Labs, Meesho, Groww, IndiQube, Curefoods, Bluestone, and Physics Wallah — are on track for IPOs in the near future.
With the launch of CNPC, the Startup Policy Forum aims to bridge the knowledge, policy, and execution gaps that exist in the Indian public markets ecosystem for startups, driving inclusive capital market growth in line with India’s expanding digital economy.