The Growth of Knowledge-intensive Entrepreneurship in India, 1991–2007
Sunil Mani
#2009-051
There is enough consensus to show that India’s economic performance
since 1991 is a direct result of the economic liberalization measures
that have been put in place. One of the outcomes of this improved
performance is the growth of innovations in the country. This was
accompanied by or caused by the emergence of a number of
technology-based enterprises. This paper takes a critical look at the
available quantitative evidence on the growth of knowledge or
technologybased entrepreneurship. It then looks at five facilitating
factors for the emergence of this phenomenon in terms of the existence
of increased market opportunities, availability of financial support
schemes in the form of venture capital funds, existence and enlargement
of a number of government programmes, a number of private sector
initiatives and education, and training leading to the supply of
technically trained personnel. The paper concludes with certain policy
suggestions for the continued sustenance of this activity.
Keywords: knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship, knowledge process
outsourcing venture capital, angel financing, business incubators
JEL classification: L26, O16, O30, P12
UNU-MERIT Working Papers
ISSN 1871-9872