From Coders to Innovators: The Creative Skill Gap in Hyderabad’s IT Startup Companies

Abstract: Hyderabad has become a major IT hub and startup growth in India. The city has a strong supply of technically skilled professionals. A significant creative skill gap persists within its startup sector; many employees possess coding skills and analytical skills but lack of innovation and problem-solving. This gap limits startup capacity to transform ideas into marketable innovations and compete globally. This study investigates the factors contributing to this imbalance, including industry-academic collaboration and preferences among skilled professionals for employment in large MNCs.Using mixed method approach surveying 50 employees and interviewing 10 founders across technology-based startups-the research identifies deficits in creative problem solving, design thinking, and strategic innovation literacy. The paper also proposed strategic interventions such as industry aligned training problems, innovation learning environments and creative skill development to bridge the gap and foster a holistic talent ecosystem in Hyderabad IT startup sectors. Keywords: creative skills, innovation, skill gap, IT startups, Hyderabad, design thinking, workforce development