The Economic Times and Cashfree Payments jointly presented the first One of a Kind Awards on August 21, 2026, in Bengaluru, recognizing early-stage startups that distinguish themselves through exceptional customer engagement and experience.
- Swipe wins for streamlining billing and payments for small businesses
- PAYTAP and Proshort recognized for operational and sales innovation
- Awards focus on startups enhancing customer trust and retention
What happened
The first edition of the One of a Kind Awards was held on August 21, 2026, at Novotel, Bengaluru, bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders. The awards were created to honor early-stage Indian startups that are still defining their product-market fit and operational discipline with a strong customer focus. Swipe was named the winner for its app that assists small businesses with GST invoicing, inventory management, and payment collection via multiple digital channels.
First and second runners-up, PAYTAP and Proshort, were recognized for innovations tailored to specific business needs. PAYTAP offers RuPay-powered prepaid cards and NFC tags to streamline expenses in vehicle fleets and mobility sectors, helping reduce cash handling and improve control. Proshort leverages generative AI to enhance sales team productivity by integrating CRM data and contextual insights to better prepare for customer interactions and drive deal progression.
Why it matters
In competitive markets, replicating products and features is relatively easy, but building and maintaining customer trust requires focused effort and deep understanding of user pain points. These awards highlight startups that adopt a customer-centric approach, going beyond reactive support to proactively incorporate feedback and continually improve the product experience.
Customer experience is increasingly tied to a startup’s long-term viability. As businesses face mounting pressure to retain users and demonstrate ongoing value, superior customer relationships become key indicators of health and scalability. Recognizing startups at the foundational stage encourages a shift from growth at all costs to building durable, trust-driven brands.
What to watch next
The One of a Kind Awards initiative offers winners and finalists ongoing support, including national exposure through The Economic Times and Cashfree’s digital platforms. This elevated visibility can accelerate access to customers, talent, partners, and investors beyond usual networks, creating stronger growth opportunities.
Going forward, recipients will also benefit from technical infrastructure and credits provided by Cashfree Payments to facilitate expansion of payment capabilities. The awards ecosystem fosters a community of founders, investors, and experts that startups can leverage to refine execution and strengthen customer engagement as they mature.