From Policy to Performance: How National Startup Day 2026 Showcased India’s Startup Maturity

As India’s startup movement steps into its second decade, National Startup Day 2026 arrived with more than just celebration—it brought a moment of reflection, recognition and renewed momentum. On Thursday, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) announced the results of the fifth National Startup Awards (NSA 5.0) along with the States’ Startup Ranking Framework (SRF 5.0), marking a defining milestone as the **Startup India initiative completes ten years.

The awards and rankings were formally unveiled by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, underlining how far India’s startup ecosystem has travelled—from a policy experiment a decade ago to a nationwide economic force today. Together, the announcements painted a clear picture of an ecosystem that is maturing, decentralising and increasingly driven by both entrepreneurial innovation and proactive state-led governance.

Measuring how states build startups, not just celebrate them

At the heart of the announcement was the States’ Startup Ranking Framework, which has steadily evolved into one of India’s most important policy tools for startup governance. Rather than focusing only on intent or announcements, the framework evaluates how effectively States and Union Territories translate policy into action on the ground.

Over successive editions, SRF has fostered healthy competition among states while also encouraging knowledge-sharing and collaboration. It has pushed state governments to institutionalise startup-focused policymaking, build capable implementation teams and strengthen long-term ecosystem thinking.

The fifth edition of the framework takes this evolution further. SRF 5.0 places greater emphasis on measurable outcomes, sustainability and ecosystem resilience—recognising that startups thrive not just on incentives, but on strong institutions, access to markets and long-term support systems.

A total of 34 States and Union Territories participated in SRF 5.0, evaluated across six reform areas and nineteen clearly defined action points. These covered policy and institutional support, physical and digital infrastructure, access to funding, market linkages, capacity building for entrepreneurs and ecosystem stakeholders, and the promotion of innovation-led growth. The breadth of participation itself reflects a shared national commitment to improving startup implementation quality across regions.

National Startup Awards: celebrating innovation with impact

Running alongside the state rankings, the National Startup Awards 5.0 once again put the spotlight on startups that are solving real problems while building scalable and sustainable businesses. The diversity of winners this year reflected the widening scope of India’s entrepreneurial ambition—spanning agriculture, deeptech, fintech, healthcare, manufacturing, sustainability and creative industries.

In agri-innovation, AREETE from Maharashtra was recognised for its work in agricultural innovation, while Fuselage Innovations Private Limited from Kerala received the Aspire Award. Deep-tech innovation found recognition in Trinano Technologies Private Limited, Maharashtra, which won the Best Deeptech Startup Award, highlighting the increasing sophistication of India’s technology-led ventures.

Bootstrapped entrepreneurship also found its moment, with Pump Academy Private Limited from Karnataka winning the Bootstrapped Award—underscoring that sustainable growth without heavy external funding remains a powerful model.

Sustainability and social impact featured prominently. Ecostp Technologies Private Limited, Karnataka, was awarded Circular Economy Innovator, while Creditbucket Technologies Private Limited from Bihar was named Community Development Catalyst. In the creative and consumer space, Memeraki Retail and Tech Private Limited from Haryana was recognised as a Creative Industry Disruptive, and Proxi Farma Private Limited, Maharashtra, emerged as the F&B Trailblazer.

Fintech and health-tech startups continued to demonstrate strong momentum. Timble Technologies Private Limited from Delhi received the Fintech Revolution Catalyst Award, while Blue Phoenix Technologies Private Limited, Maharashtra, was honoured with the Health-Tech Excellence Award. The Humanitarian Impact Award went to Kuberjee Tech Private Limited from Gujarat, and Glovatrix Private Limited, Maharashtra, was recognised for Inclusive Design Excellence.

Emerging regions and manufacturing-led innovation were equally visible. Sunfox Technologies Private Limited from Uttarakhand won the Innovation Trailblazers Award, while Goat Robotics Private Limited from Tamil Nadu received the Make in India Excellence Award. Meine Electric Automotives Private Limited, Delhi, was named NextGen Innovator, and Aviotron Aerospace Private Limited from Rajasthan was recognised as a Rising Star.

In supply chain and mobility, UdyogYantra Technologies Private Limited from Delhi was named Supply Chain Startup of the Year, while Entuple E-Mobility Private Limited from Karnataka won the Urban Mobility Excellence Award. Infrastructure innovation was acknowledged through the Visionary Award for Infrastructure, conferred on Hyphen SCS Private Limited from Uttar Pradesh, and Arivation FashionTech Private Limited from Haryana was recognised as the Women-Led Innovator.

State rankings reveal a more even startup map

The SRF 5.0 results showcased varying levels of ecosystem maturity across the country. In the Best Performers category, Gujarat emerged as the top-performing State in Category A, while Arunachal Pradesh and Goa were recognised as Best Performers in Category B.

The Top Performers in Category A included Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, reflecting strong policy execution and ecosystem depth. Himachal Pradesh led the Top Performers in Category B.

The Leaders category highlighted broad-based progress, with Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttarakhand in Category A, and Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland in Category B. States listed as Aspiring Leaders—including Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Odisha—signalled steady efforts to strengthen foundational ecosystem elements.

SRF 5.0 also recognised Emerging Startup Ecosystems, acknowledging regions at an early but promising stage of ecosystem development. Chhattisgarh and NCT of Delhi featured in Category A, while Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry were recognised in Category B.

A decade in, the message is clear

Together, the National Startup Awards and the States’ Startup Ranking Framework have reshaped how startup success is recognised in India—rewarding both entrepreneurial excellence and effective governance. They have driven accountability, improved policy standards and accelerated the spread of startup culture beyond traditional hubs.

As Startup India completes ten years, NSA 5.0 and SRF 5.0 underline a decade defined by clear policy intent, consistent execution and growing entrepreneurial confidence. Indian startups today are not just engines of innovation and job creation; they are becoming central to economic resilience, self-reliance and India’s global standing as a leading destination for entrepreneurship and innovation.