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At Entrepreneur Game Changer Awards 2026, Entrepreneur India & APAC Editorial Director Sachin Marya said, “States like Uttar Pradesh will become the center of India’s next decade of economic growth, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities will create new opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation.”
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is no longer just India’s most populous state; it is rapidly emerging as the country’s next major engine of economic growth. In the coming years, India’s economic expansion will not be limited to metropolitan cities alone, but will increasingly be driven by high-potential states like Uttar Pradesh. This was the key message delivered during the special session, "Mission Trillion Dollar UP: Building the Growth Engine of New India," held as part of Entrepreneur Game Changer Awards 2026 – Uttar Pradesh.
The event, held at Hotel Renaissance, Lucknow, was attended by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Brajesh Pathak as the Chief Guest, Sachin Marya, Editorial Director, Entrepreneur India & APAC, Sanjeev Jha, Editor, Entrepreneur India, senior Uttar Pradesh leader Surya Pratap Shahi, D.P. Singh, Kapil Dev Aggarwal, Jitendra B. Singh, CEO – Rural Retail, Ananda Dairy, along with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, startup founders, investors and experts from diverse sectors.
Addressing the gathering, Sachin Marya, Editorial Director of Entrepreneur India & APAC, said that Entrepreneur has been working continuously for the past one and a half decades to promote entrepreneurship and strengthen India’s startup ecosystem. He noted that Entrepreneur, established nearly 50 years ago in California, is now active across approximately 13 countries and regions, providing a global platform to private companies, startups and innovative entrepreneurs. He further stated that after successfully organizing events in India’s leading metropolitan cities, this inaugural edition in Uttar Pradesh reflects the state’s growing economic strength, investment-friendly environment and rapidly evolving entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem.
During his address, Sachin Marya highlighted three key messages:
1. Uttar Pradesh Will Become the Next Engine of India’s Economic Growth
Sachin Marya said that India’s next phase of economic growth will not be driven solely by metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, but by rapidly developing states like Uttar Pradesh. He emphasized that with its large population, vast consumer market, improved connectivity, and increasing investments, Uttar Pradesh has the potential to become one of the country’s strongest growth engines. According to him, the state will play a defining role in India’s development journey in the years ahead.
2. Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities Will Get a New Platform for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
He stated that Entrepreneur’s vision extends beyond major cities. The organization is now actively promoting startups, innovation and entrepreneurship across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. He believes that if India is to emerge as a global economic powerhouse, young entrepreneurs from smaller cities must be provided with equal opportunities, stronger networks and better platforms. Uttar Pradesh, he said, has the potential to become the biggest center of this transformation.
3. Entrepreneur Begins a New Chapter in Uttar Pradesh
Sachin Marya said that Entrepreneur Game Changer Uttar Pradesh 2026 marks Entrepreneur’s first initiative in the state. He described it as more than just an event it is the beginning of a long-term partnership with Uttar Pradesh’s startup, investment and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Going forward, Entrepreneur will continue to support entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from the state by connecting them with opportunities at both national and global levels.
During his address, Sachin Marya also observed that Uttar Pradesh is not only India’s most populous state but also one of its largest consumer markets. He said the state’s economic potential is comparable to that of many countries around the world. He added that rapidly improving infrastructure, a favorable investment climate, growing industrial activity and entrepreneur-friendly government policies are positioning Uttar Pradesh among India’s most attractive investment destinations. According to him, in the coming years, Uttar Pradesh will evolve not only as a preferred investment destination but also as a major hub for innovation, startups, manufacturing and the new economy.
Appreciates the Uttar Pradesh Government’s Initiatives
Sachin Marya expressed his gratitude to Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak for participating in the event. He said that the state government’s investment-friendly policies, improved infrastructure and business-friendly environment are playing a significant role in taking Uttar Pradesh to new economic heights. He further expressed confidence that through the combined efforts of the government and industry, Uttar Pradesh can emerge as India’s largest hub for investment and entrepreneurship.
‘Mission Trillion Dollar UP’ Gains New Momentum
The inaugural session, "Mission Trillion Dollar UP: Building the Growth Engine of New India," emerged as an important platform for positioning Uttar Pradesh as India’s next economic powerhouse. The session featured extensive discussions on investment, innovation, startups, entrepreneurship, regional economic development and the future economy.
Experts at the event observed that if the current pace of infrastructure development, investment attraction, startup promotion and industrial expansion continues, Uttar Pradesh will not only move rapidly toward achieving its $1 trillion economy goal but will also emerge as the strongest growth engine of New India’s economic development journey.
