Lucknow, Sept. 16 -- Asserting that Uttar Pradesh has become the new centre of "fearless business," chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the state has over 17,000 startups, including eight unicorns, and is rapidly establishing itself as a hub for innovation and global technology. He made the remarks while addressing the valedictory session of the two-day CSIR-Startup Conclave at CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI). "Uttar Pradesh has provided an excellent environment of security in the last eight-and-a-half years, which has helped the state in becoming the centre of fearless business," he said. "It is also leading in the ease of doing business and now the 'trust of doing business' is the new identity of UP. Security, ease and strong eco-system are necessary for business and all three are present in Uttar Pradesh today," he added. The chief minister congratulated all participants and expressed gratitude to Union minister for science and technology Jitendra Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing Lucknow as the venue. Adityanath said the conclave provided scientists, institutions and progressive farmers a platform to showcase their research and innovations. He noted that several memorandums of understanding were signed and new products launched during the event, laying down a roadmap for the future. He said that the state government is not only making policies but also supporting the ideas of youth, entrepreneurs and scientists. "The government is supporting the youth from the laboratory to industry. Every research should become a product, every product should become an industry, and every industry should become the power of India. This will help in making developed India and developed UP," the chief minister said. He mentioned that the startup ecosystem in India has grown rapidly in the last 11 years. "Over 1.90 lakh startups are flourishing in India, which makes us third after the US and Britain. More than 17,000 startups are active in the state, including eight unicorns," Adityanath said. "Seventy-two incubators and seven Centres of Excellence have been set up, and the state government alone has provided financial support of Rs 137 crore to encourage incubators and help these startups grow," he added. Referring to his government's MSME and ODOP initiatives, Adityanath said migration of workers from the state has reduced since 2017. A Swastika Lotus Garden at the Botanical Park with lotus flowers from all over the world was also inaugurated on the occasion. Spread across 930 square metres, it is the first of its kind in the country. It houses 60 varieties of lotus sourced from across the world and 50 taxa (species) of water lilies, with conservation ensured through advanced genetic methods, light exposure regulation, and scientific treatments. Among its highlights is the NBRI-Namoh 108, the world's first 108-petal lotus developed at Lucknow. CSIR-NBRI director Ajit Kumar Shashnay, CSIR-CDRI director Radha Rangarajan, CSIR-CIMAP director Prabodh Kumar Trivedi and CSIR-IITR director Bhaskar Narayan were present on the occasion. Union minister for science and technology Jitendra Singh on Monday said that just as Hyderabad and the cities of South India have developed in terms of startups, the same potential is present in Lucknow. "A new biotechnology park and science museum will soon be established in Uttar Pradesh," Singh said, adding that a mint-based tablet was introduced to the world from Lucknow with the support of CM Yogi Adityanath....