Startup CFO Awards: Tie Delhi-NCR & Binary Semantics Celebrates The Visionaries

As India’s startup ecosystem continues to surge ahead—innovating, disrupting, and reimagining sectors—the spotlight often shines on the bold founders, visionary CEOs, or the next breakthrough idea. But behind the scenes, navigating a landscape full of volatility, compliance, and growth challenges, is another equally critical player—the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

At India Internet Day 2025, a unique and powerful moment unfolded. Amidst the buzz of innovation, tech talk, and entrepreneurial energy, the finance custodians of India’s most promising startups were brought to the center stage during the Second Edition of the Startup CFO Awards, hosted by TiE Delhi-NCR in collaboration with Binary Semantics.

This wasn’t just another award ceremony. It was a long overdue recognition of the silent architects of startup resilience and scale—the CFOs who are doing far more than managing budgets or signing off balance sheets. These financial leaders are actively shaping business trajectories, leveraging tech, and crafting long-term strategies.

From Number-Crunchers to Strategic Navigators

Today’s CFOs are wearing multiple hats. They are investors’ allies, risk managers, technology enablers, and cultural pillars—often working shoulder to shoulder with founders to build scalable and sustainable companies.

“The Startup CFO Awards are more than a recognition platform—the winners represent a new generation of finance leaders who blend strategic foresight, agility, and tech-enabled decision-making,” said Suramya Choudhary, Director at Binary Semantics and Co-Founder of GSTrobo®.

Drawing parallels with her own company’s innovation-driven DNA, she emphasized that these CFOs are not just guardians of finances—they are catalysts of growth and transformation.

And indeed, in an ecosystem where funding winters, policy pivots, and scale challenges have become part of daily vocabulary, a strong financial leader at the helm makes all the difference.

CFO Award Winners

The second edition of the awards, launched after a successful debut in 2024, received overwhelming response from the startup and investor communities. Selected through a stringent jury process, these winners exemplify the multi-dimensional role of today’s CFOs:

• AI & Digital Enablement Startup CFO of the Year: Manuj Trehan, University Living

• B2B & Cleantech Startup CFO of the Year: Aashish Agarwal, DeHaat

• Fastest Growing Startup CFO of the Year: Pulkit Jain, Doceree Media India Pvt Ltd

• Consumer Startup CFO of the Year: Chirag Mavani, The Souled Store Pvt Ltd

Each of these leaders represents a different sector, but all share one thing in common—financial acumen fused with foresight, adaptability, and business-first thinking.

Their selection was no easy feat. The winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of industry veterans including Mandeep Mehta (Group CFO, PB Fintech), Mayank Gupta (Seasoned CFO), Rohit Sabherwal (Founder & Managing Partner, Integra Solutions LLP), and Sandeep Gupta (Managing Partner, SRGA & Co.).

The Evolving Face of a Startup CFO

Atul Dhawan, President of TiE Delhi-NCR and former Chairman, Deloitte South Asia, summed it up best:

“Startup CFOs are no longer just custodians of finance – they are architects of scale, innovation, and resilience. The traditional role of a bookkeeper no longer suffices in today’s fast-paced ecosystem.”

Dhawan’s remarks reflect a sentiment that’s becoming increasingly mainstream in startup circles. Whether it’s preparing a company for due diligence, driving digital transformation, managing burn while chasing hypergrowth, or building a culture of compliance, CFOs today are at the core of a startup’s DNA.

To further empower these changemakers, all shortlisted applicants received a complimentary six-month subscription to GSTrobo®, Binary Semantics’ flagship tax compliance platform. The tool is designed to aid digital finance transformation—offering automation, reporting, and compliance solutions that are crucial for startups navigating complex tax landscapes.

Such partnerships are a clear signal that the focus is not just on celebrating achievements, but also enabling continuous growth.

TiE Delhi-NCR and Binary Semantics: A Partnership Built on Innovation

This initiative wouldn’t have been possible without the continued collaboration between TiE Delhi-NCR, one of the most influential chapters of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), and Binary Semantics, a global technology leader offering a suite of enterprise platforms like GSTrobo®, VISoF™, and FleetRobo®.

Together, they are championing a more evolved and inclusive narrative—one that recognizes every pillar of a startup’s success, not just the flashy headlines.

For those eager to nominate their CFOs for the next edition or to know more, the awards have a dedicated portal: https://cfoaward.in

A Future Where CFOs Lead the Charge

As India’s startup story matures and expands globally, the role of the CFO will only become more strategic. Events like the Startup CFO Awards ensure that the ecosystem pauses to acknowledge the ones who hold the financial compass steady in times of both calm and storm.

In a world chasing valuations and virality, it's reassuring to know that someone is keeping an eye on sustainability, compliance, and value creation.

And now, thanks to TiE Delhi-NCR and Binary Semantics, those silent heroes are finally getting their moment in the spotlight.