Lucknow, July 27 -- Uttar Pradesh is an emerging hotspot for innovation-driven startups, backed by progressive policy reforms and a robust funding ecosystem, additional CEO, Invest UP, Shashank Chaudhary said at an investors' meet hosted by IIM Lucknow's Enterprise Incubation Centre on its Noida campus on Friday. Leading venture capitalists and ecosystem enablers were part of the gathering. Chaudhary outlined how the UP Startup Policy 2020, supported by a Rs 1,000 crore corpus, has laid a strong foundation for long-term startup growth. He was speaking on the theme, " UP Startup Policy & Fund Framework - A Unique Platform for Investors." He highlighted the UP Startup Fund, which de-risks private capital by investing in SEBI-registered AIFs (Alternative Investment Funds), mandating a minimum 1.5x reinvestment into UP-based startups, with up to 25% exposure per AIF and a 12-year operational window. He emphasised that today's investors are not just financiers but strategic growth partners-providing capital, mentorship, market access, and governance support. The additional CEO urged stakeholders to target high-growth sectors including AI, Climate Tech, EVs, Agritech, and Medtech, and to collaborate closely with incubators, universities and accelerators. "Uttar Pradesh offers a unique, policy-backed platform to scale innovation and deliver sustainable returns," he said, inviting investors to co-create success stories rooted in resilience and scalable impact. "In Uttar Pradesh, we talk about opportunity," Chaudhary added, citing the state's youthful demographics, a strong talent pipeline from IITs and IIMs, and its rapidly evolving industrial landscape....