Why 2026 could be the year to build in India
For a long time, the path was to get into a U.S. university, graduate, secure H1B, work for a few years and maybe start a company.
If that was your plan, it’s okay to feel uncertain right now. You prepared, you worked, you dreamed. You did nothing wrong.
But here’s a thought while you decide your next step:
AI is moving so fast that two years building in a startup can teach you more than two years in a classroom. So, the edge comes from applying AI with business context to solve real customer problems.
As Vinod Khosla said, “Be a generalist. AI is going to do the narrow, specialist stuff better than you.”
You don’t learn that inside four walls of a university, you learn it in startups. That’s why 2026 could be a turning point.
More of the brightest minds could choose to stay and build here in India because the opportunity to create impact at home is bigger than ever.
