MAARG Portal: Why every Entrepreneur needs a "Mentor" in 2026

In 2022, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry had launched MAARG Portal as the National Mentorship Platform. MAARG Portal stands for Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth (MAARG) Portal.

Nowadays, the entrepreneur ecosystem is evolving and young entrepreneurs aged 18-25 are setting up the businesses from scratch being unaware of such initiatives. Not only this, but many founders start their entrepreneurial journey in lates 30’s, 40’s or 50’s as well. MAARG Portal is one stop digital platform which facilitates mentorship for ambitious entrepreneurs and without any age restriction connects them with experienced mentors who’ve been there, done that.

Whether you’re in fintech, health tech, aggrotech, or any other sector, at the idea stage or already scaling, MAARG portal helps you find the right guidance. So, if you are also an entrepreneur looking for mentorship, advisory, assistance, resilience and growth, let’s dive into its objectives, benefits, eligibility requirements, procedure to find the mentor, duration of mentorship along with mode of mentorship and fees structure.

Table of Contents

Key Objectives of MAARG Portal

MAARG Portal by Startup India is a practical and scalable tool designed to deliver real time solutions and support to founders of all kinds of startups. Here’re key objectives of MAARG Portal: –

To give startups practical, sector-specific guidance and hands-on support from the very beginning till they scale up.
To deliver personalized mentorship, advice, and assistance that fits different industries, growth stages, business functions, and even various parts of the country.
To create a well-organized national platform that intelligently matches startups with the right mentors using AI.
To make high-quality mentorship easily accessible from seasoned industry leaders, successful entrepreneurs, investors, and even global experts.
To build a system that tracks real progress and measures the actual impact of every mentor-mentee relationship.
To strengthen India’s startup ecosystem by helping founders become more resilient, grow sustainably, and make entrepreneurship more inclusive across the board.

Benefits of MAARG Portal

MAARG Portal is a solid advisory board available at your fingertips. If you are also a founder, here are the real benefits of the MAARG Portal that actually matter to you:

Get personalized guidance from experienced mentors who’ve built and scaled startups themselves
Save time and money with free, high-quality mentorship tailored to your sector and stage
Connect smarter through AI matchmaking that pairs you with the right experts – not just anyone
Receive practical advice on strategy, fundraising, operations, and overcoming tough challenges
Track your progress and see real impact from every mentoring session
Access mentors from across India and even global experts, all in one simple platform
Build resilience and grow faster with continuous support throughout your startup journey
Join a supportive national ecosystem that truly wants Indian founders to succeed

Eligibility Requirements for Registration on MAARG portal

If you’re building a startup in India, without any experience or as a first-generation founder, here’s what you need to get on the MAARG Portal:

The foremost requirement is that you must be a DPIIT-recognized startup
Your startup can be from any sector and no restrictions exist.
It works for startups at any stage of their journey, whether you’re just starting or already scaling.
You should already have an account on the Startup India portal (you can use the same login credentials)

Procedure to find a Mentor through MAARG Portal

Getting the right mentor is pretty straightforward. Once you find the right mentor, you can really speed things up. Here’s exactly how you can find one on MAARG Portal: –

Ensure your startup is DPIIT-recognized: – This is the first and most important step. If you haven’t done it yet, head to the Startup India website and get your recognition done.

Go to the MAARG Portal- Visit maarg.startupindia.gov.in. Use the same login details you have for the Startup India portal. If you’re new, just create an account there first – it connects automatically.

Create your mentorship requirement- Once logged in, go to the dashboard and click on “Create a New Mentorship Requirement.” Tell the platform what you need help with – your sector, current stage, specific challenges (like fundraising, marketing, product, etc.), and any other details.

Let the AI suggest mentors- The system will automatically show you a list of best-matched mentors based on your needs. You can also browse through all available mentors and their profiles.

Send a request to the mentor- Pick the ones who feel right for you and send a short request. Explain briefly why you want to connect with them (you can send up to 3 requests per requirement). Be clear and respectful – mentors get many requests.

Wait for acceptance and schedule a session- If the mentor accepts, you can schedule a meeting right on the platform (they have video call options). Once connected, set some clear goals together and track your progress.

Pro Tip: – Be specific about what you need help with. The better your requirement, the better the matches you’ll get.

Fees and Duration of Mentorship through MAARG Portal

MAARG Portal is completely free, i.e., pro bono.

Each mentoring session usually lasts 30 to 60 minutes, and you can schedule multiple sessions as needed based on your mutual agreement with the mentor.

Mode of Mentorship through MAARG Portal

The virtual sessions are conducted and there are flexible options to connect through zoom, google meet or a simple call. It’s a digital platform where are mentored without any hassle to travel.

The focus is on regular, outcome-driven conversations that help you move forward.

Conclusion: Why every Entrepreneur needs a “Mentor” in 2026.

In the evolving start-up ecosystem, there is a fact which can’t be denied that most businesses don’t fail due to lack of funds or clients, they fail due to wrong direction. They fail because of wrong steps and decisions they made in the start-up journey.

MAARG Portal was launched by startup India in 2022 to solve the similar issues for better economical practices where you can ask for mentorship and guidance without paying any fees. This portal was launched with an objective to help founders achieve their goals resulting in better entrepreneurial set-up.

MAARG Portal connects you with mentors as per your needs and they advise, assist help you grow in your entrepreneurial journey irrespective of your age.

You just need a startup recognition certificate to enrol to MAARG Portal, and it probably could help you scale must faster and in better ways. At My Legal Business LLP, our expert team help you from scratch point, i.e., getting the startup recognition certificate up to scheduling your mentorship sessions as per your needs and problems. Contact us today to scale your business with faster economic growth.