The Economic Times Startup Awards 2026 has entered a key stage with nominees announced across major categories, including Startup of the Year and Midas Touch. The 12th edition is putting India’s high-growth founders, innovative companies and influential investors in focus as the jury prepares to select this year’s winners.
ET Startup Awards 2026 Enters Final Selection Stage
The ET Startup Awards 2026 are back for their 12th edition, and the latest nominee announcements are putting some of India’s most closely watched startups under the spotlight. The awards are being held at a time when the Indian startup ecosystem is moving beyond its earlier funding-led growth phase and placing greater emphasis on execution, scale, resilience and sustainable business models.
The most closely watched category is Startup of the Year. Economic Times has announced the nominees for the category, which is considered the flagship recognition among the eight award categories this year. The selection is intended to recognise startups that have demonstrated significant impact and innovation over the past year.
The awards are not simply about identifying companies that have raised the most capital. The broader nominee list across categories reflects a startup ecosystem that now includes businesses focused on frontier technology, social impact, student entrepreneurship, resilience and women-led leadership.
Startup of the Year Nominees Take Centre Stage
The Startup of the Year category is drawing particular attention because it represents the highest-profile award in the ET Startup Awards lineup.
The category comes as India’s startup market has matured considerably from the funding boom of the previous decade. Several companies that once appeared on startup award lists have since become large businesses or publicly listed companies, creating a longer-term connection between startup recognition and India’s evolving corporate landscape.
The current awards are therefore being watched not only for the eventual winner but also for the companies that make the shortlist. Being recognised at this stage can provide visibility among investors, founders, enterprise customers and the wider business community.
Economic Times has also announced nominees for Midas Touch, an award focused on investors who have demonstrated strong investment judgement and played an important role in supporting successful startups.
Jury Led by Rishad Premji Meets August 25
The final decision will be made by a high-profile jury led by Wipro Executive Chairman Rishad Premji. The jury is scheduled to meet in Bengaluru on August 25 to deliberate and select the winners through a secret ballot.
The panel brings together established entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders from several parts of India’s technology and consumer economy. Its members include Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Navi Technologies founder Sachin Bansal, CaratLane founder Mithun Sacheti, Urban Company co-founder Abhiraj Singh Bhal and Nykaa co-founder Adwaita Nayar.
Anthropic India Managing Director Irina Ghose and Nurix AI founder Mukesh Bansal are also among the jury members. The combination gives the awards a mix of technology, consumer internet, artificial intelligence, venture investing and business-building experience.
Awards Reflect a Broader Startup Ecosystem
The 2026 awards are covering eight categories, giving the event a wider lens on entrepreneurship than simply looking at venture-backed companies with rapid valuations.
Earlier this week, nominees were announced for Best on Campus and Comeback Kid. Best on Campus highlights student-founded businesses, while Comeback Kid recognises founders and startups that have recovered from setbacks and rebuilt their businesses.
The nominees in these categories include Qosmic, Armatrix, Panoculon Labs, Dream Aerospace and Plenome Technologies for Best on Campus. SolarSquare, Shadowfax, Scapia, Emergent and Pratilipi were named among the Comeback Kid nominees.
Other categories announced during the awards build-up include Social Enterprise and Woman Ahead. This range shows how the definition of startup success is expanding beyond valuation and fundraising.
Women Founders and Social Enterprises Gain Visibility
The Woman Ahead category is focused on women entrepreneurs who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and business impact. Its inclusion is significant because women-led businesses remain an important part of the changing Indian entrepreneurship landscape.
The Social Enterprise category, meanwhile, recognises businesses attempting to address social or environmental challenges while maintaining financially sustainable models. The category highlights a growing focus on impact alongside commercial performance.
Together, these categories show that the startup ecosystem is becoming more diverse in the kinds of businesses it considers successful.
For founders, that shift matters. A startup can now attract attention through technological innovation, social impact, resilience, student entrepreneurship or leadership, rather than relying solely on a large funding round or headline valuation.
India’s Startup Market Has Entered a More Mature Phase
The timing of the ET Startup Awards 2026 is important for another reason. India’s startup ecosystem has undergone a major transition over the past decade.
The early years of the ecosystem were dominated by rapid fundraising, aggressive customer acquisition and rising private valuations. The current environment places greater weight on profitability, capital efficiency, sustainable growth and the ability to build defensible businesses.
Artificial intelligence has also changed the competitive landscape. Startups are increasingly building products around AI, automation and frontier technologies, while established companies are adopting similar tools to improve productivity and customer experiences.
The ET Startup Awards jury itself brings together leaders from technology, artificial intelligence, fintech, consumer internet and venture capital, reflecting how closely these sectors now overlap.
August 25 Could Set the Next Startup Benchmarks
The jury’s August 25 meeting will be the next major milestone for the awards. Winners across the eight categories will emerge after the jury completes its deliberations.
For the startups involved, the recognition can provide a platform to strengthen their visibility at a time when investors and businesses are paying closer attention to measurable performance.
The significance of the awards will ultimately depend on what happens after the announcements. Recognition can create attention, but long-term startup success still depends on customer adoption, financial discipline, innovation and the ability to scale operations.
The 2026 edition nevertheless provides a useful snapshot of where India’s entrepreneurial economy is heading. The companies being recognised are not coming from a single sector or business model. They represent a wider ecosystem where technology, resilience, impact and execution are becoming increasingly important measures of success.
ET Startup Awards 2026: Key Takeaways
- The 12th ET Startup Awards has announced nominees across eight major categories.
- Startup of the Year is the most closely watched category, with the final winner yet to be decided.
- A jury led by Wipro Executive Chairman Rishad Premji is scheduled to meet in Bengaluru on August 25.
- The awards are highlighting startups across technology, social impact, women-led businesses, student entrepreneurship and comeback stories.
FAQ: ET Startup Awards 2026
What are the ET Startup Awards 2026?
The ET Startup Awards are an annual recognition programme focused on India’s startup ecosystem. The 2026 edition is the 12th edition and includes eight award categories covering different aspects of entrepreneurship and startup growth.
Who is leading the ET Startup Awards 2026 jury?
Wipro Executive Chairman Rishad Premji is leading the 2026 jury. The panel also includes prominent entrepreneurs, investors and technology leaders from India’s business ecosystem.
When will the ET Startup Awards 2026 jury select the winners?
The jury is scheduled to meet in Bengaluru on August 25, 2026, where it will deliberate and select winners through a secret ballot.
Which categories are being featured in the 2026 awards?
The 2026 edition features eight categories, including Startup of the Year, Midas Touch, Woman Ahead, Social Enterprise, Best on Campus and Comeback Kid. Other categories have also been announced during the run-up to the awards.
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