The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) launched the 6th National Startup Awards (NSA 6.0) on 27 October 2026 under the Startup India initiative. The awards will honour startups across 20 sectoral categories and 3 special categories, with a cash prize of ₹25 lakh for winners in each eligible category. The launch comes in the tenth year of Startup India, when recognised startups in India have crossed 2.5 lakh.
What Is the National Startup Awards 6.0?
The National Startup Awards 6.0 is the sixth edition of Startup India’s flagship annual awards for startups, launched by DPIIT to recognise innovation and entrepreneurship across India. DPIIT stands for the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, which works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The awards honour startups that show strong performance in innovation, scalability, sustainability and socio-economic impact.
The awards were first started in 2019. Since then, five editions have been completed. Each edition has worked as a national platform to identify entrepreneurial excellence and to showcase solutions for real problems in different sectors.
NSA 6.0 builds on this record. It aims to encourage innovation led business growth, widen participation from all States and Union Territories, and support startups that can compete at the global level. Special attention is being given to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where more than half of India’s recognised startups are now located.
Twenty Sectoral Categories and Three Special Awards Under NSA 6.0
NSA 6.0 will recognise startups across 20 sectoral categories and 3 special categories. The design reflects changes in India’s startup ecosystem, with stress on emerging technology, national priorities and inclusive growth.
This edition introduces 12 new sectoral categories. These are Biomanufacturing, Consumer Industries, Defence and Security, Rural Economy Traditional Industries and Livelihoods, Education and Skilling, Electronics Semiconductors and Advanced Manufacturing, Sports Fitness and Sports-Tech, Future Mobility and Automotive, Ocean and Blue Economy, Space-Tech Drones and Aerospace, Telecom Connectivity and Digital Infrastructure, and Travel Tourism and Hospitality.
The full list of 20 sectoral categories is given below.
| No. | Sectoral Category |
|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture, AgriTech and Food Systems |
| 2 | Biomanufacturing |
| 3 | DeepTech and Frontier Technologies |
| 4 | Climate-Tech, Clean Energy and Sustainability |
| 5 | Consumer Industries |
| 6 | Creative Industries, Media and Digital Content (Orange Economy) |
| 7 | Defence and Security |
| 8 | Rural Economy, Traditional Industries and Livelihoods |
| 9 | Education and Skilling |
| 10 | Electronics, Semiconductors and Advanced Manufacturing |
| 11 | FinTech, Financial Services and Inclusion |
| 12 | Food-Tech, Biotechnology and Nutrition |
| 13 | Healthcare, MedTech and Life Sciences |
| 14 | Supply Chain and Logistics |
| 15 | Sports, Fitness and Sports-Tech |
| 16 | Future Mobility and Automotive |
| 17 | Ocean and Blue Economy |
| 18 | Space-Tech, Drones and Aerospace |
| 19 | Telecom, Connectivity and Digital Infrastructure |
| 20 | Travel, Tourism and Hospitality |
The three special categories focus on inclusion and new talent.
| Special Category | Who It Covers |
|---|---|
| Women-Led Startup of the Year | DPIIT recognised startups led by women entrepreneurs |
| North-East Startup Excellence Award | Startups with a founder from the North Eastern region |
| Student Innovator and Aspiring Entrepreneur Award | School and college students across all 36 States and Union Territories, introduced for the first time in NSA 6.0 |
A DPIIT recognised startup can apply for up to three sectoral categories based on its products and services. It can also apply for the two startup focused special categories, where eligible.
Cash Prize and Support Beyond Money for NSA 6.0 Winners
Winners across the 20 sectoral categories and the two startup focused special categories will receive a cash prize of ₹25 lakh per category. The prize is subject to the award guidelines. This applies to the Women-Led Startup of the Year and the North-East Startup Excellence Award along with the sectoral winners.
The Student Innovator and Aspiring Entrepreneur Award has a separate structure. It carries a total prize pool of ₹25 lakh across four sub categories. The distribution is shown below.
| Sub Category | Age Group | Winner | Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budding Innovators | 10 to 14 years | ₹3 lakh | ₹2 lakh |
| Rising Innovators | 14 to 16 years | ₹3 lakh | ₹2 lakh |
| Young Changemaker | 16 to 18 years | ₹4 lakh | ₹2 lakh |
| Emerging Entrepreneurs | 18 years and above | ₹6 lakh | ₹3 lakh |
Money is only one part of the award. DPIIT has stated that the awards will also help winners through mentorship, investor engagement, market access, industry partnerships and higher visibility within the startup ecosystem. Central Ministries, State Governments, incubators, academic institutions, banks, financial institutions, Alternative Investment Funds and industry bodies will support outreach and evaluation.
How Startups Are Selected and When Winners Will Be Announced
Only DPIIT recognised startups registered on the Startup India portal can apply for NSA 6.0. DPIIT recognition is the official startup status given by DPIIT. It confirms that the entity meets the definition of a startup under the notification dated 19 February 2019 and makes it eligible for Startup India benefits.
Applications for NSA 6.0 opened on 27 October 2026 and will remain open till 20 November 2026 through the official Startup India portal at startupindia.gov.in. Winners of NSA 6.0 are scheduled to be announced on National Startup Day, which is observed on 16 January every year. The 2026 winners will thus be announced on 16 January 2027.
Selection follows a transparent, multi stage process. First comes eligibility and compliance screening. Then sectoral committees with Central Ministries, incubators, Alternative Investment Funds, and banks and financial institutions evaluate the applications. Shortlisted finalists present their ideas at an NSA pitching event. A National Jury Panel with Government, industry and domain experts then makes the final selection, with overall governance by Startup India and DPIIT.
What Is Startup India and Which Ministry Runs It?
Startup India is the flagship initiative of the Government of India to build a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. It was launched on 16 January 2016. DPIIT implements it under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to turn India into a country of job creators.
Startup India is an initiative and not a direct loan scheme. Its foundation is the Startup India Action Plan, unveiled on 16 January 2016. The Plan has 19 action items under three broad heads, which are simplification and handholding, funding support and incentives, and industry academia partnership and incubation.
DPIIT gives recognition to eligible entities as startups. Recognition opens access to tax benefits, easier compliance through self certification, relaxation in public procurement, fast tracking of patents, and funding schemes. The year 2026 marks ten years of Startup India. DPIIT data for 2025 to 26 places recognised startups at more than 2.23 lakh, with self reported direct jobs of more than 23.36 lakh. By October 2026, officials reported that the number had crossed 2.5 lakh, with more than half in Tier-3 and smaller towns.
Two institutions support this ecosystem. The National Startup Advisory Council, notified in January 2020, advises the Government on measures to nurture innovation and generate large scale employment. National Startup Day, observed on 16 January every year, was declared in 2022 to celebrate the startup movement. National Startup Week events are also organised around this date.
How Startup India Funds Early Startups
Easy access to capital is the central problem for new firms. Banks hesitate to lend without a track record. Investors hesitate without a prototype. Startup India addresses this gap through dedicated funding schemes that operate at different stages of a startup’s life.
What Is the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme?
The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) is DPIIT’s early stage funding programme for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialisation. It was announced on 16 January 2021 and operationalised on 1 April 2021 with a corpus of ₹945 crore for four years. The scheme supports about 3,600 startups through about 300 incubators.
Funding under SISFS reaches startups only through approved incubators, not directly from DPIIT. An Expert Advisory Committee selects incubators, and each incubator has an Incubator Seed Management Committee to select startups. The support has two parts.
| Type of Support | Maximum Amount | Purpose and Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Grant | Up to ₹20 lakh | Validation of proof of concept, prototype development and product trials, paid in milestone linked instalments, no repayment |
| Investment | Up to ₹50 lakh | Market entry, commercialisation and scaling, given as convertible debentures or debt, with tenure up to five years and moratorium up to 12 months |
To be eligible, a startup must hold DPIIT recognition, must have been incorporated for not more than two years at the time of application, must work on an innovative idea with market fit and scope for scaling, and must use technology in its core product, service, business model or methodology. Indian promoters must hold at least 51 percent shareholding. The startup must not have received more than ₹10 lakh in monetary support under any other Central or State Government scheme. Prize money, subsidised workspace, founder allowance and lab access do not count toward this limit.
Fund of Funds for Startups and Credit Support
The Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) was approved in June 2016 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore. The amount is spread over the 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycles based on progress and availability of funds. DPIIT is the monitoring agency. The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), set up in 1990 and headquartered in Lucknow, is the operating agency. FFS does not invest directly in startups. It contributes to venture funds, which then invest in startups at early, seed and growth stages. This model has helped mobilise domestic capital and reduce dependence on foreign capital.
The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) adds another layer. It provides credit guarantee up to a specified limit against loans extended by member institutions to DPIIT recognised startups. Together, SISFS for ideas and prototypes, FFS for growth capital, and CGSS for bank credit form the core funding architecture of Startup India.
Startup India, Stand Up India and Make in India
Readers often mix Startup India with two other well known programmes. The three have different goals, though all support enterprise and jobs.
| Feature | Startup India | Stand Up India | Make in India |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | 16 January 2016 | 5 April 2016 | 25 September 2014 |
| Nodal effort | DPIIT under Ministry of Commerce and Industry | Department of Financial Services with banks | DPIIT as a key coordinating agency |
| Main aim | Build a startup ecosystem for innovation and scalability | Provide bank loans to entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women categories | Turn India into a global manufacturing hub |
| Main tools | Recognition, tax benefits, Seed Fund, Fund of Funds, procurement relaxation | Bank loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore for greenfield enterprises | Investment facilitation, production linked incentives and ease of doing business reforms |
In short, Startup India nurtures innovative startups, Stand Up India expands access to bank credit for underrepresented entrepreneurs, and Make in India strengthens domestic manufacturing. A single firm can benefit from more than one of these tracks, for example a manufacturing startup that is DPIIT recognised and also sources incentives for domestic production.
Key Takeaways
- DPIIT launched the National Startup Awards 6.0 on 27 October 2026 under the Startup India initiative to recognise innovation and entrepreneurship.
- NSA 6.0 covers 20 sectoral categories and 3 special categories, including 12 new sectors such as Biomanufacturing, Space-Tech and Ocean and Blue Economy.
- Winners in each eligible sectoral and special startup category receive ₹25 lakh, while the Student Innovator Award has a separate ₹25 lakh pool across four age based sub categories.
- Applications closed on 20 November 2026 and winners will be announced on National Startup Day on 16 January 2027.
- Startup India was launched on 16 January 2016 and is run by DPIIT under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with support from the ₹945 crore Seed Fund Scheme and the ₹10,000 crore Fund of Funds operated through SIDBI.
