Groww won Startup of the Year at the ET Startup Awards 2026. But the widely cited comment from IDFC FIRST Bank chief executive V Vaidyanathan about startup potential in Tier-II and Tier-III cities belongs to the 2025 awards, not the 2026 event. The distinction matters: the awards’ 2026 winner list does not, by itself, show that startups are shifting away from metros.
What Vaidyanathan said—and when
At the 2025 ET Startup Awards, V Vaidyanathan, IDFC FIRST Bank’s chief executive and managing director, called for a wider pool of startup capital and pointed to campuses and smaller cities as possible sources of disruption. The Economic Times quoted him saying: “There is huge potential for more disruption, especially from campuses and tier-2 and -3 cities.” The Economic Times’ Nov. 3, 2025 report places the remarks in the 2025 awards context.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Vaidyanathan also recounted that a venture capitalist told him roughly 40–50 of about 1,000 startup pitches received financing. That is an anecdote he relayed, not a measured national funding rate or an independently verified statistic. It illustrates his argument for a broader capital pool; it cannot establish how often Indian startups generally secure funding.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Who won the ET Startup Awards 2026?
The 2026 awards recognize businesses and people across eight categories. The Economic Times’ event coverage reported these winners:
#1 Best Overall
- Personalized 3D Laser Engraved Crystal Award -- Create a custom crystal award with your company logo, recipient name, award title, message, organization, and date. Your design is produced with 3D subsurface laser engraving inside the crystal, delivering a clean, professional look for corporate recognition. A thoughtful choice for ceremonies, milestone celebrations, and business gifting.
- 3D Subsurface Engraving -- The artwork is laser-engraved within the crystal, while the outside remains smooth and polished. This subsurface 3D engraving helps keep the design clear for display and avoids concerns like peeling, lifting, or surface wear from everyday handling. Ideal for office desks, shelves, and award displays.
- K9 Crystal Material & Premium Gift Packaging -- Made with K9 crystal known for its clarity and light refraction, paired with a polished, smooth exterior for an elevated presentation. The crystal catches light beautifully. Each crystal trophy is nestled in a premium gift box— fitted with shock-absorbing foam—then hand-wrapped by our team. Arrival is instant ceremony; unboxing becomes part of the honor.
- For Employee Recognition, Years of Service & Retirement -- Designed for professional occasions: Employee Appreciation, Years of Service, Work Anniversary, Outstanding Performance, Leadership, Teamwork, Sales Awards, and Retirement celebrations. Suitable for managers, coworkers, mentors, and business partners—personalized name&text makes the recognition more meaningful.
- Business Gifting & Bulk Order Friendly -- Suitable for corporate events, annual meetings, onboarding milestones, and long-term service recognition. This personalized award trophy supports individual orders or bulk purchasing for company programs. A practical solution for organizations seeking a consistent, professional recognition item that aligns with business environments and formal presentation needs.
| Category | 2026 winner |
|---|---|
| Startup of the Year | Groww |
| Midas Touch – Best Investor | Manu Chandra |
| Bootstrap Champ | Habuild |
| Social Enterprise | Varaha |
| Woman Ahead | Pallavi Mohadikar and Pallavi Shrivastava, joint winners |
| Top Innovator | Theranautilus |
| Best on Campus | Armatrix |
| Comeback Kid | Mukund Jha / Emergent |
The official ET Startup Awards site describes categories spanning startup growth, campus ventures, women-led businesses, bootstrapping, social enterprise, innovation, comeback stories and investors. Its visible winners page has a mismatch: the Bootstrap Champ heading names Habuild, while the following description discusses Chakr Innovation. The winner listed above follows The Economic Times’ 2026 report.
Do the 2026 awards show startups moving to Tier-II cities?
No. The 2026 award results and category descriptions do not establish a geographic shift in startup formation or funding. They identify award recipients and the kinds of entrepreneurship recognized, not a city-by-city trend. The Tier-II and Tier-III remarks supported by the cited reporting are Vaidyanathan’s comments at the 2025 awards; the 2026 coverage does not attribute the same statement to him.
Rank #2
- 👔 Professional Corporate Recognition Award Designed for modern businesses and organizations, this custom crystal trophy is perfect for Employee of the Month programs, Employee of the Year honors, sales achievement awards, leadership recognition, work anniversaries, and executive appreciation. A refined way to celebrate dedication and performance
- 🏢 Fully Personalized with Logo & Award Details Add your company logo, recipient name, title, month, year, and achievement message. Whether it’s a monthly recognition award or a special milestone tribute, simply upload your logo or text and we ensure clean layout, accurate alignment, and professional UV printing
- 🎁 Meaningful Employee Appreciation More than a trophy — it is a symbol of gratitude. Ideal for thanking employees, honoring retiring colleagues, recognizing managers, celebrating team success, or expressing appreciation to a principal or school leader. A lasting keepsake that reflects respect and value
- 🏆 Versatile for Sports & Academic Recognition In addition to corporate ceremonies, this elegant crystal award is suitable for Champion trophies, 1st Place competitions, team achievements, school excellence awards, and principal appreciation events. A modern award design that fits business, sports, and educational settings
- 💎 Premium K9 Crystal with Executive Finish Crafted from high-clarity K9 crystal for exceptional brilliance and substantial weight. Compared to acrylic or ordinary glass awards, it delivers a more luxurious and executive appearance. Advanced HD UV printing ensures vibrant logos and long-lasting clarity without fading
For founders weighing a metro against a Tier-II or Tier-III base, the relevant considerations are practical rather than settled by this award list:
- Capital access: Vaidyanathan’s call for a wider capital pool highlights the importance of investor networks, but the cited report does not compare funding availability across cities.
- Talent and campuses: His remarks point to campuses as a potential source of disruption. They do not identify which cities or institutions are producing more startups.
- Customers and operations: A location decision also depends on where customers, suppliers and staff are, and on the infrastructure a particular business needs. The award coverage does not rank cities on these factors.
IDFC FIRST Bank was the presenting sponsor for the 2026 awards, according to the official partner page. That sponsorship is separate from evidence about regional capital access: the page’s description of its startup-banking offering does not show that the service resolves the constraints Vaidyanathan discussed.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Classic 1st Place Trophy Design This trophy award features a bright gold cup, decorative side handles, and a black base for a traditional winner look that stands out at ceremonies, prize tables, and celebration events.
- Lightweight Gold Plastic Trophy Made of lightweight plastic, this plastic trophy is easy to carry, hand out, and display on desks, shelves, or classroom tables while still delivering a bold and eye-catching presentation.
- Adhesive First Place Plate Included The base comes with a first place plate attached to the front, adding a clear winner message and a finished award look that works well for sports games, contests, and recognition events.
- Approx. 8.27 Inches Tall At approximately 8.27 inches in height, this 1st place trophy is easy to notice without taking up too much space, making it a practical size for event setups, photos, and take-home keepsakes.
- Great for Many Award Occasions Use this trophy for sports events, school contests, classroom rewards, office competitions, party games, team recognition, and community activities where first place winners deserve to be celebrated.
Rank #4
- Customizable Crystal Trophy Awards: Our premium crystal trophies can be customized with every detail - engraved with a name, date, logo or heartfelt message. Each trophy is carefully crafted to be unique, perfect for corporate rewards, retirement gifts, employee milestones, employee recognition programs and years of service awards. Easily upload your design to create a keepsake that's just for them.
- Outstanding Employee Recognition Trophy: Our crystal trophies are perfect for monthly/annual awards, milestone commemorations, value recognition, executive retirement custom trophies, colleague farewell gifts, sales breakthrough incentives, and charity and community awards. Recognize the hard work and dedication of employees, colleagues, executives, and leaders. They can be proudly displayed on the desk or at home.
- Corporate and Bulk Order Friendly: Ideal for enterprises! Whether it is team incentives, annual awards or customer gifts. Convenient customization and our professional service make it easy for you to motivate employees or impress partners. We focus on corporate customization.
- Luxury K9 Crystal: Made of K9 crystal, it shines brighter than ordinary glass or acrylic trophies, and is paired with a matching crystal base. The octagonal design perfectly captures the light, creating a luxurious texture and celebrating achievement with unparalleled elegance. You can choose between HD UV printing for bold colors or precision laser engraving for classic sophistication. Both methods ensure a clear, durable design that will last for years, making your trophy a lasting keepsake.
- More Than an Award—A Legacy: Celebrate dedication with a trophy that speaks volumes. Designed for retirement parties, sales accolades, or coworker farewells, it’s a tangible symbol of appreciation that boosts morale and pride. We’re here from design to delivery.
Rank #3
- CUSTOM AWARD PLAQUE- NANFUNCF trophies are available in a variety of designs and can be customized down to the smallest detail, including engravings of text,name,logo and photo. Choose from high-definition UV printing for bold colors or precision laser engraving for a timeless finish. Both processes ensure clarity and durability, making them a lasting keepsake.
- PREMIUM CRYSTAL MATERIAL-NANFUNCF custom trophy with text is crafted with crystal, Custom plaque shines brighter than ordinary glass or acrylic trophies, and customizable trophy is paired with a matching crystal base. The octagonal design perfectly captures the light, creating a luxurious texture and celebrating achievement with unparalleled elegance.
- EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION GIFTS - NANFUNCF custom plaques come in many different designs. Perfect for employee appreciation gifts, thank-you gifts, colleague appreciation gifts, pastor appreciation gifts, coworker farewell gifts, staff team gifts, office gifts, boss gifts, work anniversary gifts, social worker gifts, memorial gifts and farewell gifts.
- IDEAL FOR BUSINESS -- NANFUNCF specialize in corporate customization and accept large-volume orders from companies and organizations. NANFUNCF also offer spherical awards and trophies designs for various sports, such as fantasy football trophies, soccer trophies, goat trophies, golf trophies, soccer trophies, and basketball trophies. Our convenient customization and professional service make it easy to motivate employees or impress partners.
- PROFESSIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT-NANFUNCF provide thoughtful services throughout the entire process from design consultation to after-sales support. If you have any questions, please contact us and our responsive customer support team will promptly address your inquiries and work towards a resolution.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.
