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Groww won Startup of the Year at the 12th edition of The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA) 2026. The eight category awards also recognised venture investor Manu Chandra, companies including Habuild and Varaha, two joint Woman Ahead winners, and founders from Theranautilus, Armatrix and Emergent.
Who won the ET Startup Awards 2026?
The Economic Times reported the following category winners:
| Award category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Startup of the Year | Groww |
| Midas Touch | Manu Chandra, founder and managing partner at Sauce VC |
| Bootstrap Champ | Habuild |
| Social Enterprise | Varaha |
| Woman Ahead | Joint winners: Pallavi Mohadikar, cofounder of Palmonas, and Pallavi Shrivastava, cofounder and CEO of Progcap |
| Top Innovator | Theranautilus |
| Best on Campus | Armatrix |
| Comeback Kid | Mukund Jha, cofounder of Emergent |
The categories recognise different kinds of startup achievement and leadership; the list is not a ranking of the winners against one another. Groww received the event’s top award, Startup of the Year.
How were the winners selected?
According to The Economic Times’ results report, an 11-member jury chaired by Wipro executive chairman Rishad Premji deliberated for nearly three hours on 25 August before selecting the winners.
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Crown Awards 7.25" Personalized Gold Swirl Cup Trophies with Custom Engraving, Custom Engraved Champion, Winner & Achievement Award On Deluxe Round Base, Engraving Included – 1 Pack
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When and where was the ceremony scheduled?
The awards ceremony was scheduled for Friday, 9 October 2026, in Bengaluru. Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal was named guest of honour. ET’s event announcement said more than 350 startup and technology ecosystem leaders were expected to attend; that is an announced expectation, not a confirmed attendance count. The awards were presented by IDFC First Bank, with Tracxn as knowledge partner.
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GiftExpress 12-Pack 6" Gold Award Trophy, Award Statues, Statues Trophies for Award Ceremony, Appreciation Gift (Pack of 12)
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Wesiti Employee Appreciation Awards Gifts for Vet Tech Week
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