Mumbai: Nearly three out of four Gen Z entrepreneurs are pursuing multiple income streams, marking a shift away from traditional linear careers toward a more flexible 'portfolio career' model, a report said on Tuesday.
Gen Zs, those born between 1997 and 2012, are leading a move toward more flexible ways of working, with three in four (75 per cent) entrepreneurs in this age category reporting multiple income streams, compared to 62 per cent of Gen X (born during 1965-1980), according to a LinkedIn report.
This highlights a shift to 'portfolio careers' designed to build resilience and create greater control over work and income, it added.
According to the report, India is emerging as a leading indicator of how entrepreneurship is evolving globally.
LinkedIn data showed a 104 per cent year-on-year increase in members adding 'Founder' to their profile in the country, the highest across markets, alongside a surge in entrepreneurial activity and ambition.
The report is based on a survey conducted by Censuswide among 500 small business owners, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs, among others, across the country during April 8-16, 2026.
It revealed that this new generation of entrepreneurs is emerging as AI lowers barriers to entry, career priorities shift, and definitions of success evolve.
AI and digital tools are making entrepreneurship more accessible, lowering traditional barriers such as cost, connections, and expertise, said the report.
In India, 80 per cent of founders interviewed said entrepreneurship is accessible regardless of background, and 81 per cent said it is more achievable today than ever before, it added.
Young entrepreneurs are driving this change, with 85 per cent of Gen Z entrepreneurs saying AI and digital tools are important to their business, and many crediting it with making starting their business feel possible.
The report further revealed that Gen Z in India defines success in terms of freedom and flexibility (64 per cent), personal growth (56 per cent) and financial wealth (55 per cent), and is more willing to take risks to achieve it.
They are also more experimental, with younger founders more likely to test and explore entrepreneurial paths compared to previous generations, stated the report.
"AI is lowering barriers that once made starting a business feel out of reach, enabling a new generation of founders to experiment, adapt, and build with greater confidence.
"We're also seeing the rise of the 'portfolio era', with more professionals creating multiple income streams and redefining what a career can look like. This shift is making entrepreneurship more accessible than ever before," LinkedIn India Country Manager Kumaresh Pattabiraman added.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.