India’s commerce and industry minister, Piyush Goyal, is set to headline the 12th edition of the Economic Times Startup Awards on October 9 in Bengaluru. The event will showcase the nation's top startup talents and recognize outstanding entrepreneurial achievements while highlighting India’s expanding role in global trade and investment.
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to lead ET Startup Awards on October 9
- Awards celebrate India’s entrepreneurial growth amid $94.53B FDI influx
- Eight categories recognized, including Startup of the Year and Woman Ahead
What happened
The 12th Economic Times Startup Awards will take place on October 9 in Bengaluru, with union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal serving as the guest of honour. This prominent event attracts over 350 leaders from India’s startup and technology ecosystem to acknowledge and celebrate standout achievements across eight award categories.
Notable winners include Bengaluru-based wealthtech platform Groww as Startup of the Year, along with recognitions such as the Midas Touch award to investor Manu Chandra, and joint winners in the Woman Ahead category for the first time. These awards were selected by an 11-member jury led by Wipro’s executive chairman Rishad Premji.
Why it matters
The awards come during a critical juncture for India’s new economy, marked by rapid advances in artificial intelligence, strategic global trade agreements, and increasing capital discipline among startups. These developments coincide with record foreign direct investment inflows of $94.53 billion in FY26, underscoring India’s strengthening position as a global manufacturing and business hub.
Piyush Goyal’s ministry has been actively reforming laws and policies to simplify doing business in India while leading trade negotiations with key partners like the US, UK, and EU. These efforts aim to attract more investments and provide startups with a fertile environment to innovate and scale at home and internationally.
What to watch next
Attention will center on how startups bolstered by recent trade deals and regulatory changes capitalize on new opportunities in India’s evolving economic landscape. The performance of award-winning companies like Groww and emerging sectors such as climatetech and deeptech could signal future growth trends.
The government’s continued push for reforms and global partnerships will be important to monitor, particularly as India positions itself as a major manufacturing hub and a competitive startup ecosystem amid global disruptions and technological shifts, especially in AI-driven innovation.