After a prolonged funding slowdown, ecommerce and tech start-up sectors are showing signs of steady recovery, said TeamLease Services. According to the Employment Outlook Report (EOR) for HY1 (April-September Financial Year (FY) 26), 69% of employers in these industries plan to increase their workforce in the first half of FY 25-26.
It attributes this growth to AI-driven product scaling, growth marketing, and cloud-native engineering. In the e-commerce and tech start-up space, hiring is centred around high-impact technology and product roles, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The report shows a strong demand for DevOps engineers, Product managers, and Full-stack developers. Companies are also preparing to meet evolving digital consumption patterns by building agile teams that can deliver faster innovation and better customer experiences, it added in the report.
The Net Employment Change (NEC) for the e-commerce and tech start-up sector is projected at 6.9% for the first half of FY25-26. The sector continues to rank among the top three in job creation, alongside the electric vehicle (7.1%) and automotive industries (6.9%). The expansion is being driven largely by platform-first, B2C, and D2C start-ups that are prioritising operational efficiency and sustainable unit economics.
Kartik Narayan, CEO-Staffing, TeamLease Services, said, "Despite a cautious macro environment, we're witnessing a clear shift in how India's tech start-ups approach growth and talent. The focus is moving away from aggressive expansion to building sustainable, value-driven business models. This is reflected in the way companies are hiring leaner teams with sharper skill sets, especially in product and digital roles that directly impact business outcomes."
"It's not just about filling positions; it's about building capabilities. The resurgence in hiring signals that start-ups are regaining confidence, not just in funding cycles, but in the long-term promise of India's digital economy," he added, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
Bengaluru leads with 30% of the planned hiring, followed by Mumbai at 25% and Chennai at 23%.
These cities remain the key hubs for start-ups due to their talent base and established digital ecosystems, the report added.
