National Startup Awards 6.0 opens applications; winners to receive Rs 25 lakh prize in 20 categories

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has opened applications for the sixth edition of the National Startup Awards, offering a prize of Rs 25 lakh in each category to recognise innovative, scalable and impactful startups across the country.

These awards recognise startups demonstrating outstanding performance in innovation, scalability, sustainability and socio-economic impact, according to DPIIT.

The award exercise is organised under the Startup India initiative of the commerce and industry ministry. It seeks to identify and recognise entrepreneurial ventures making significant contributions across 20 sectoral categories, spanning areas from agriculture to space technology.

The awards also include special categories for women-led startups, North-East Startup Excellence, student innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

This exercise will provide national-level visibility and recognition to selected startups, while also facilitating access to industry stakeholders and potential investors.

Further, the DPIIT-recognised startups are eligible to apply for these awards under the 20 sectoral categories and the specified special categories. Over 2.6 lakh units are recognised as startups by the department.

Students aged 10 and above can also submit applications for the award, provided their proposed solutions align with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and 'Shakti Ki Sapta Dhara'.

On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid out a seven-point reform framework, 'Sapta Dhara', aimed at accelerating India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, with a focus on manufacturing, agro-food production and food processing, technology and innovation, logistics, defence, green and blue economy, and soft power.

Interested applicants can submit their applications through the Startup India portal at https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/nsa2026.html.