Individual Awards

The Awards will recognize the brilliant work done by Individual Entrepreneurs who have impacted Indian entrepreneurship through exemplary activities and their leadership of their startup companies.

• Entrepreneur of the Year This category recognizes an outstanding entrepreneur who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and consistent business growth. The honoree must have built a scalable business with measurable impact on industry, employment, or innovation. Open to founders/co-founders of startups incorporated in India with active leadership roles, a minimum operational history for two years and must be 35 years of age or above as on December 31, 2025.
• Woman Entrepreneur of the Year This category recognizes exemplary women founders who have built and led successful ventures through innovation, resilience, and impactful leadership. The award celebrates women creating economic value and advancing gender inclusivity in the startup ecosystem. Nominee must be a woman founder/co-founder with significant leadership involvement in a startup operating for at least one year as on December 31, 2025.
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year This category recognizes dynamic and high-achieving young founders who are driving innovation, scaling ventures rapidly, and demonstrating strong entrepreneurial potential early in their careers. Nominee must be below 35 years of age as of December 31, 2025 and must be the founder/co-founder of an active startup.
• Innovator Of The Year This category recognizes individuals who have created breakthrough intellectual property, patented technologies, or proprietary innovations that demonstrate high disruption potential in their industry. The nominee must be the principal innovator, IP owner, or creator of a technology/product with validated proof of concept, filings, or commercial application.
• Serial Entrepreneur of the Year This category recognizes entrepreneurs who have successfully founded and scaled multiple ventures, showcasing resilience, business acumen, and a consistent track record of building impactful companies. The individual must have founded at least two or more startups, with at least one active venture demonstrating measurable performance as on December 31, 2025.
• Tech Entrepreneur of the Year This category recognizes entrepreneurs leading technology-driven businesses that demonstrate strong innovation, scalable digital solutions, and advancement of tech ecosystems such as AI, SaaS, DeepTech, FinTech, Web3, or similar. Open to founders/co-founders of tech-first startups with demonstrable product adoption, market traction, or technological breakthroughs.
• Angel Investor of the Year This category recognizes individual angel investors who have actively supported early-stage startups with capital, strategic mentorship, and hands-on guidance, enabling founders to accelerate growth. The nominee must be an individual angel investor with at least two investments and evidence of active involvement in their portfolio as on December 31, 2025.

Startup Excellence

The Startups will be recognized across sectors for their outstanding contribution to changing the country for the better while building a veritable Business.

• Bootstrapped Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups that have achieved remarkable success without external equity funding, relying solely on internal cash flows, founder investment, or early customer revenue. These ventures exemplify resilience, financial discipline, and strong business execution while competing with funded counterparts. Startups with no institutional venture funding, though grants or small government schemes may be acceptable. Must show measurable growth or a scalable business model.
• Emerging Startup of the Year This category recognizes early-stage startups that have demonstrated strong initial traction, innovative solutions, and a clear potential for scale within a short period. These startups showcase exceptional product-market fit, early customer adoption, and a robust roadmap for growth. Startups incorporated within the last 1–3 years as on December 31, 2025.
• Growth-stage Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups that have transitioned beyond the initial phase and are rapidly expanding their market presence, operations, and customer base. These companies demonstrate consistent year-on-year growth, strong business fundamentals, and a proven competitive edge in their sector. Startups that are more than 3 years old as on December 31, 2025.

Tech & Digital Innovation

The Awards will recognize the Ecosystem that has empowered the Tech & Digital Industry to become main stream and helped it to grow.

• AI & Machine Learning Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to solve real-world problems, enhance business processes, or deliver highly personalized and automated experiences. These startups demonstrate strong technical innovation, scalable AI models, and measurable impact.
• Cybersecurity Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups addressing critical digital security challenges through advanced cyber defence technologies including threat intelligence, network security, data privacy, identity protection, or incident response solutions. They must showcase innovation in safeguarding digital infrastructure at scale.
• DeepTech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups developing breakthrough technologies rooted in scientific or engineering innovation, such as advanced materials, quantum computing, robotics, photonics, or biotech-enabled solutions. These ventures exhibit long development cycles but high transformative potential.
• Drone Technology Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups creating innovative drone systems or drone-enabled solutions for applications such as logistics, surveillance, agriculture, mapping, disaster management, or industrial operations. These startups exhibit strong engineering quality, regulatory compliance, and operational reliability.
• SaaS Startup of the Year This category recognizes cloud-based software-as-a-service startups delivering high-value, subscription-driven digital solutions. These companies showcase strong customer retention, product usability, recurring revenue growth, and innovations in cloud architecture or automation.
• Space Tech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups innovating in satellite technology, launch services, space communication systems, Earth observation, space data analytics, or related aerospace advancements. These companies push the boundaries of scientific exploration and commercial space applications.
• Blockchain Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups building decentralized applications, blockchain-based infrastructure, tokenization platforms, digital assets solutions, or distributed ledger innovations that improve transparency, security, or digital ownership.

Sector-specific Innovation

• Agritech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups improving agricultural productivity, farm efficiency, market linkage, or resource utilization through technology-enabled solutions.
• Bio-science & Biotechnology Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups driving advancements in biological sciences, biotechnology, genetics, life sciences, and applied research to address critical health, environmental, or industrial challenges.
• Craft & Home Décor Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups promoting artisanal craftsmanship, home décor innovation, and design-led products that blend creativity, cultural heritage, and modern aesthetics.
• Cross-Border Start-up of the Year This category recognizes startups that operate across international markets, enabling cross-border commerce, technology expansion, global partnerships, or international service delivery while maintaining strong India-origin operations. The startup must have active business operations in at least two countries, with India as a primary base or origin point.
• Education/EdTech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups transforming the education ecosystem through digital learning platforms, skill development tools, personalized learning, or innovative academic solutions.
• Fashion & Beauty Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups innovating in the fashion, beauty, personal care, or lifestyle industries through digital-first models, sustainable practices, or new-age product development.
• Fintech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups revolutionizing financial services through digital payments, lending, insurance, wealthtech, neobanking, regtech, or other tech-enabled financial innovations. These startups display secure, scalable platforms and measurable financial inclusion or efficiency impact.
• Food & Beverage Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups innovating in food products, beverages, nutrition, cloud kitchens, or culinary experiences through unique models and consumer insights.
• Gaming & eSports Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups building innovative gaming products, esports platforms, interactive entertainment ecosystems, or gaming technologies that enhance user experience and community participation.
• Gifting Start up of the Year This category recognizes start-ups that has demonstrated excellence and innovation in the gifting ecosystem by creating unique, meaningful, or personalized gifting solutions. The start-up should have successfully addressed evolving consumer or corporate gifting needs through creative product offerings, technology-enabled platforms, sustainable practices, or efficient delivery models.
• Health & Wellness Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups contributing to physical, mental, or holistic well-being through innovative products, therapies, digital health platforms, or wellness services.
• HealthTech Startup of the Year HealthTech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups redefining healthcare delivery, diagnostics, patient monitoring, telemedicine, health data analytics, or medical device innovation.
• HRTech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups transforming human resources through digital tools that enhance recruitment, employee engagement, performance management, workforce analytics, and organizational efficiency.
• LegalTech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups simplifying and modernizing legal processes through technology in areas such as compliance automation, contract management, dispute resolution, or legal accessibility.
• Logistics & Supply Chain Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups enhancing supply chain efficiency through technology in warehousing, last-mile delivery, automation, tracking, or freight management.
• Media, Content & Creator Economy Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups empowering creators, digital media platforms, production ecosystems, or tools that enable content creation, distribution, monetization, or audience engagement.
• Mobility & EV Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups building solutions for electric mobility, smart transportation, battery technology, EV infrastructure, or sustainable mobility systems.
• PropTech Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups utilizing technology to improve property management, real estate transactions, valuation, smart living, or digital housing solutions.
• Real Estate & Built Environment Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups innovating in property development, construction technology, smart buildings, sustainable architecture, or solutions improving the real estate ecosystem.
• RetailTech/ E-commerce Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups improving retail operations through technology-driven solutions in POS systems, inventory management, customer insights, omnichannel experience, or in-store digitization.
• Social Impact Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups creating positive societal change through solutions focused on community development, livelihoods, education, healthcare access, environment, or inclusivity.
• Sustainability & Climate Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups addressing climate challenges through sustainable products, clean technologies, renewable energy solutions, waste management innovations, or carbon reduction initiatives.
• Travel & Hospitality Startup of the Year This category recognizes startups enhancing travel experiences, tourism services, accommodation innovation, or hospitality operations through customer-centric, tech-enabled solutions.

Enabling Ecosystem Awards

• Accelerator of the Year This category recognizes accelerator organizations that have significantly contributed to scaling early-stage startups through structured mentorship, market access, investor networks, and intensive cohort-based programs. Open to accelerator programs (public, private, corporate, or university-led) that have completed at least one cohort and supported a minimum of five startups with measurable outcomes in the last one year as on December 31, 2025.
• Corporate Innovation Program of the Year This category recognizes corporate organizations that have established impactful innovation programs such as startup accelerators, venture funds, partner programs, or open innovation labs—to drive entrepreneurship and technological advancement. Open to corporate entities running structured innovation initiatives that have supported or piloted solutions with startups in the last one year as on December 31, 2025.
• Incubator of the Year This category recognizes incubator organizations that nurture early-stage entrepreneurs by providing workspace, technical support, mentorship, research assistance, and long-term development guidance. Incubators must have been operational for at least one year and must have an active portfolio of startups receiving incubation services as on December 31, 2025.
• VC Firm of the Year This category recognizes venture capital organizations that have made significant contributions to the startup ecosystem through high-impact investments, founder support, and strong portfolio performance. The VC firm must have made multiple investments and should demonstrate a track record of value creation for its portfolio companies. in the last one year as on December 31, 2025.

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