Sarkari Yojana
National Startup Awards
About National Startup Awards
The National Startup Awards, run by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, help startups gain recognition across various facets of their business — including financing, partnerships, and talent — while also holding them up as role models for other entities and aspiring entrepreneurs, inspiring purposeful, responsible thinking about their socio-economic impact. The first National Startup Awards (‘NSA’) wrapped up in October 2020, honouring outstanding startups and ecosystem enablers building innovative products or solutions and scalable enterprises with strong potential for jobs, wealth creation, and measurable social impact. Categories of Award Award CategoryAward Focus AreaWomen-Led Innovation Startups led by at least one-woman directorImpact in Rural AreasStartups creating wealth, livelihood and improving lives through their innovations in rural areasNextGen InnovatorStartups with student founders who have built innovative solutions at a young ageIndia’s Social Impact ChampionStartups working towards social impact in healthcare, Indic language, education, livelihood, or any other allied areaExcellence in Innovation from the North-East and Hilly States/UTStartups with innovative solutions from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and UttarakhandSustainability ChampionStartups focused on climate change, sustainability, waste management, renewables, or allied sectorsChampions of Cultural HeritageStartups preserving or proliferating textiles, art, and tourism among othersRetail Innovator of the YearStartups in retail technologies or food processingBest Startup of the Year Startup with the aggregate highest score amongst all categoriesRising Star AwardEarly-stage startups with growth potentialGenesis Innovators of the yearStartups focused on disruptive technology, including, Deep-TechAccessibility Innovation Award Startups working towards improving accessibility for people with disabilities (PwD)Financial Inclusion Award Startups working towards financial inclusion & literacyAeroInnovate Award Startups focused on aerospace, drones, or aviation solutionExcellence in Local to Global Startups with an international consumer baseIndependent Trailblazer Award Startups who have been bootstrapped from their inceptionPivotPro AwardStartups that have changed the existing business model and successfully revamped their business in the face of adversityThe Next Pioneer Award Startups that have strong product-market fit, and are building a sustainable, successful businessInnovators for Agriculture and Animal HusbandryStartups working for adoption and promotion of innovative farming and production practicesIndigenous Ingenuity ChampionStartups that have been manufacturing in IndiaRules for National Startup Awards 2023
1. Taking part in the National Startup Awards is entirely voluntary. 1. Startups already declared winners in any sector/sub-sector/category in a previous NSA edition can’t apply again, though previous finalists remain eligible. 1. The award application form must be filled in English only. 1. A startup may nominate itself in no more than 2 categories. 1. Finalists may face a legal due-diligence review by independent third-party evaluators; refusing this lets Startup India pick the next-highest-scoring nominee as winner instead. 1. Taking part means the startup agrees to let the Government of India and its partners use its name, URL, photos, and videos for promotional purposes on its website and other materials. 1. Submitting false information — about identity, mailing address, phone number, email, ownership rights, or otherwise breaching these rules or terms — can get an entity immediately eliminated from the process. 1. Jury and evaluation-agency decisions are final and binding. 1. Every support agency and jury member must sign (physically or digitally) a non-disclosure agreement with Startup India. 1. DPIIT reserves full discretion to cancel, end, change, or pause the National Startup Awards, or to withhold an award in any category; it may also disqualify any candidate/entity found tampering with the submission process, committing fraud, or breaking criminal/civil law. 1. No entity gets allowances for travel or for presenting before the jury.
Scheme Overview
Central Government
Ministry Of Commerce And Industry
Business Entity
05 Apr 2016
Scheme Details
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for National Startup Awards, applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
The startup must be recognised by the Department…
The startup must be recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and must submit its certificate of recognition.
The entity must submit its Certificate of Incorporation…
The entity must submit its Certificate of Incorporation from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, or a Certificate of Registration from the relevant state's Registrar of Firms.
The entity must have a hardware or software…
The entity must have a hardware or software product, or a process solution, that's already live in the market.
The entity must hold every applicable trade-specific registration…
The entity must hold every applicable trade-specific registration -- for instance, (CE) Common Era, (FSSAI) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, (MSME) Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, or (GST) Goods and Services Tax registration, as relevant.
Neither the entity, its promoters, nor their group…
Neither the entity, its promoters, nor their group entities should have defaulted in the last three financial years ((FY) Fiscal year 2019-20, 20-21, 21-22).
The entity must submit audited financial statements (balance…
The entity must submit audited financial statements (balance sheet, profit & loss account) for the last three financial years ((FY) Fiscal year 2019-20, 20-21, 21-22); startups under 3 years old should upload whatever statements are available, and those under a year old with no audited financials are exempt from this requirement altogether. Where audited (FY) Fiscal year 21-22 financials aren't available, provisional statements from a Chartered Accountant are acceptable.
The entity must not complete 10 years since…
The entity must not complete 10 years since incorporation on or before March 31st, 2024.
Benefits Provided
National Startup Awards provides the following benefits to eligible applicants:
DPIIT awards a cash prize of ₹ 10,00,000/-…
DPIIT awards a cash prize of ₹ 10,00,000/- to one winning startup in every category.
Winners and finalists get a chance to pitch…
Winners and finalists get a chance to pitch their solutions to relevant public authorities and corporates, opening doors to potential pilot projects and work orders.
Winners and finalists also get priority access to…
Winners and finalists also get priority access to national and international startup events that DPIIT takes part in.
Documents Required
Applicants should keep the following documents ready before starting the application:
Certificate of Recognition issued by DPIIT
Certificate of Recognition issued by DPIIT.
Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate from the Registrar of Firms
Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate from the Registrar of Firms.
Memorandum of Association, Partnership Deed, or other government-accepted…
Memorandum of Association, Partnership Deed, or other government-accepted proof of a woman founder, if applicable.
PAN card for the founder/co-founder
PAN card for the founder/co-founder.
Aadhaar card for the founder/co-founder
Aadhaar card for the founder/co-founder.
Startup pitch deck (no more than 10 slides)
Startup pitch deck (no more than 10 slides).
Trade-specific registrations
Trade-specific registrations.
Proof of patent/IPR, if applicable
Proof of patent/IPR, if applicable.
Audited financial statements for the past 3 years…
Audited financial statements for the past 3 years (Profit & Loss Statement, Balance Sheet and Income Tax Return) or provisional financial statements issued by a Chartered Accountant, in case of non availability of audited financials for FY 2021-22.
Attach any other relevant documents, MOUs, or agreements…
Attach any other relevant documents, MOUs, or agreements that strengthen your application and make it specific to your chosen category. Eg: Proof of admission into an academic institution or proof of graduation for your application under 'Next Gen Innovator'. Product manufacturing proof and ownership certificates for a manufacturing facility for your application under 'Indigenous Ingenuity Champion' and etc.
120 seconds video explaining your product or service…
120 seconds video explaining your product or service (this video cannot be a YouTube link; it has to be made for application to National Startup Awards). The
video should cover – business model, scalability, innovation,…
video should cover – business model, scalability, innovation, social & economic impact on environment
Self attested documents with proof of active users,…
Self attested documents with proof of active users, number of employees hired, R&D and prototype development, proof of funding raised, proof of TRL level of startup (if applicable).
2016-04-05
How to Apply
Online Application
Applicants can apply for National Startup Awards through the online application process outlined below.
Register on Startup India and get DPIIT recognition
Register on Startup India and get DPIIT recognition. If you're already registered on Startup India with a DPIIT recognition number, double-check that your Startup India registration details are correct, since some application-form fields auto-populate from them. Step 2: Go to the 'National Startup Awards' tab on the Startup India Website
Click 'Apply for National Startup Awards 2023'
Click 'Apply for National Startup Awards 2023'.
Click 'Apply' under the application closing countdown and…
Click 'Apply' under the application closing countdown and pick the category you want to apply in -- you can only fill in the form via your recognised startup's registered Startup India account.
Review the auto-populated details in the National Startup…
Review the auto-populated details in the National Startup Awards participation form.
Complete the rest of the details as the…
Complete the rest of the details as the application form asks. Step 7: Keep all your documents ready for upload.
Check that every upload meets the stated size…
Check that every upload meets the stated size requirements.
Click 'Submit'
Click 'Submit'.
Official Application & Website
Verify the latest eligibility, dates and instructions before applying.