Entrepreneurship and startup culture have emerged as important drivers of economic development, innovation and employment generation in India. In recent years, young people have increasingly shown interest in entrepreneurial careers due to technological advancement, digital transformation and changing employment patterns. The present study examines entrepreneurial awareness, startup aspirations and the challenges faced by youth in the Kozhikode district, Kerala. The study is based on primary data collected from 100 respondents using a structured questionnaire administered through Google Forms. A descriptive and analytical research design was adopted and statistical tools such as percentage analysis and independent sample t-test were employed using SPSS Version 25. The findings reveal that social media exposure, entrepreneurial role models and educational background significantly influence startup awareness among youth. The study also found that respondents possess favourable entrepreneurial aspirations; however, financial constraints, perceived entrepreneurial risk, inadequate mentorship and limited practical exposure continue to discourage startup initiation. Further, a statistically significant gender difference was identified in entrepreneurial awareness levels. The study highlights the importance of entrepreneurship-oriented education, startup incubation support, mentoring systems and accessible funding mechanisms to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem among youth in Kerala.
M et al. (Fri,) studied this question.