Startup hiring activity on campuses is seeing a marked revival this year, with early placement data indicating a 20–30% increase in the number of startup recruiters across top engineering and management institutes for the Class of 2026. According to recruitment firms and placement cells, this is a clear shift from the muted placement cycles of the past two years, driven by renewed growth momentum in quick commerce, food delivery, consumer tech and e-commerce.
“This marks a turnaround from the hiring freeze of the past couple of years. Startups are coming back to campuses in greater numbers, even rescuing the placement season at some colleges,” Rahul Veerwal, founder and CEO, GetWork, told Fe.
Quick commerce player Zepto is among the companies scaling up campus hiring for the 2025–26 placement season, planning to expand its campus partnerships and lift intake by about 20–25%. “With steady business growth, our focus is on building a strong early-talent pipeline through a diverse mix of institutions, from IITs and top Tier 1 colleges to Tier 2 and regional campuses,” Sneha Arora, chief human resources officer, Zepto, said.
According to TeamLease edtech’s career outlook report (HY2 2025), startups now account for roughly 20–35% of total registered recruiters in several IITs, indicating a stronger presence in the earlier placement rounds. The participation has widened across non-IIT institutes as well. “With 160,000–180,000 DPIIT-recognised startups and outreach expanding beyond Tier 1, a conservative estimate suggests 3,500–9,000 startups will engage in placement activity across private and Tier 2/3 institutions this season,” Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO, TeamLease Edtech, said.
Beyond consumer tech-led sectors, fintech, B2B SaaS, greentech and startups building AI- and data-led platforms are also driving hiring demand. Recruiters say the renewed business confidence, improved fundraising cycles, and pre-IPO scaling plans are prompting startups to rebuild teams after two cautious years.
“As they build around AI, automation, data analytics, and new digital business models, hiring fresh talent who are naturally comfortable with technology and agile in their thinking makes more sense,” said Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD and CEO, CIEL HR. “They need teams that can learn fast, experiment, and implement emerging technologies in real time,” he added.
Logistics and supply chain companies linked to the quick commerce ecosystem are also stepping up recruitment. Zippee, a fast-delivery logistics startup, has increased campus hiring positions by about 25% this year. “We are expanding fast and we’d rather bet on young, hungry operators who want to learn by doing. The energy and adaptability that fresh grads bring is exactly what a business like ours needs right now,” said Angad Singh of the founding team at Zippee. The firm is planning to expand to 20 new cities, which requires more on-ground operational roles.
ColdStar Logistics has similarly strengthened its technology and automation stack, set up an innovation lab, and expanded operational footprints over the past 12–18 months. The company plans to raise its campus hiring targets by 25–50% in the upcoming quarters.
Placement coordinators at older IITs say dozens of startups have already signed up for the first phase of placements. Recruiters estimate that about 40–60 startup firms are expected to collectively hire from these campuses this year, forming a broader employer lineup compared to the previous two cycles.
Another key factor behind the rise in startup hiring is the slowdown among IT services companies, traditionally large fresher recruiters. “IT services firms sharply cut fresher hiring by 50% last year. Startups see an opportunity to snap up talent as big IT firms pull back,” Veerwal said.
Startups are also broadening their reach across campuses beyond the top-tier institutes. “They are tapping talent pools in NITs, IIITs, and reputable private universities. Across campuses, startups are emerging as a bright spot in an otherwise cautious placement year,” Veerwal added. He noted that only around 9% of startups restrict recruitment to premier institutions, meaning over 90% hire from wider college networks.
For healthtech firm PharmEasy, expansion into new healthcare services is shaping its campus hiring strategy. “We are introducing new services across pharma, diagnostics, and medical services. At this stage, our focus is to build campus hiring as a strong channel to infuse fresh talent and create a future leadership pipeline,” said Karan Dhar, senior general manager, HR.