New Delhi, July 21 -- For years, India's startup story was largely defined by first-time entrepreneurs chasing new ideas. That narrative is beginning to change. As artificial intelligence lowers the cost and complexity of building products, a growing number of experienced business operators are stepping out of leadership roles to build startups of their own. They are bringing with them years of experience in scaling businesses, managing teams, and solving operational challenges.

A new report by RTP Global, in collaboration with Tracxn, suggests this shift is gathering pace. AI has emerged as the largest sector for operator-led startups in India for the first time, with one in four operator-founded startups launched in 2025 building AI pr...