ET STARTUP AWARDS
AI Team of the Year: How high-performing AI teams are driving business innovation
The success of AI adoption significantly hinges on the expertise of the professionals implementing these technologies. Teams that blend technical proficiency with business acumen are essential to guarantee that AI applications align with operational requirements and performance benchmarks. Acknowledgment of their contributions becomes crucial, especially for projects that are pivotal to driving business results.
Chip startup Agrani Labs looks to raise $108 million from Peak XV, Google, Samsung
Peak XV Partners is leading the round and is expected to contribute more than half of the total funding. Google, HCL Tech, Samsung Ventures and Stargazer, an investment firm set up by Groww's founders, are also expected to participate, the people cited above said.
Meesho loss narrows; Sanjeev Bikhchandani back as Info Edge CEO
Meesho cut its losses in the July-September quarter, while growth continued. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Unacademy founders plan AI fund; Flipkart’s premium push
Happy Monday! Unacademy’s founders are raising a fund focused on AI and deeptech. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
AI Young Leader of the Year: Recognising the next generation of AI leadership
AI is opening new routes into entrepreneurship, product development and technical leadership for younger professionals. The AI Young Leader of the Year category at the ET AI Awards 2027 recognises individuals under 30 whose work demonstrates innovation, sound execution and measurable impact across AI research, products and business applications.
Groww Q2 net profit jumps 54% to Rs 725 crore; revenue rises 47%
The company said quarterly revenue from operations rose by 47% from a year ago to Rs 1,502 crore. Sequentially, however, revenue was almost unchanged, while net profit declined 1.4% from the June quarter. Total expenses rose 29% year-on-year to Rs 556 crore.
Urban Company eyes Rs 2,500 crore QIP amid cash-intensive househelp battle
The Gurugram-based company, which went public in September 2025, is locked in a battle with Lightspeed-backed Snabbit and General Catalyst-backed Pronto in the high cash burn instant house help industry.
AI startup Sarvam in talks for $300 million top-up; valuation may double to $3 billion
The startup builds Indian-language AI models and applications for government agencies and businesses, including banks and insurers. Its customers include Life Insurance Corp. of India, SBI Life, IDFC First Bank, Tata Capital and Cred. Maharashtra has approved deployment of Sarvam’s Indus AI workspace across departments for drafting, translation and document analysis, with government data hosted within India.
Mesa School of Business raises Rs 110 crore at Rs 385 crore valuation
The round comprises Rs 85 crore in equity funding co-led by Dharana Capital and existing investor Elevation Capital, and Rs 25 crore in venture debt from InnoVen Capital and Alteria Capital. The round also saw a secondary transaction of around Rs 3 crore by cofounder Varun Limaye, cofounder Ankit Agarwal told ET.
Zetwerk IPO eyes big returns; Flipkart alumni seek Esop buyback
Zetwerk’s early investors are poised for big gains as the platform prepares to go public. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
The ET Startup Awards 2026 special
Happy Monday! The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA) 2026 ceremony brought together the country’s top founders, investors, and policymakers in Bengaluru for a Friday evening of sharp insights and spirited conversations.
ET Startup Awards 2026: Deeptech wants government to step up as the first customer
At the discussion, titled ‘Building the Hard Stuff in India’, moderated by Accel partner Prashanth Prakash, founders from the space, semiconductor and healthtech sectors discussed the challenges of building capital-intensive technologies, developing domestic capabilities and taking complex products to market.
ET Startup Awards 2026: Silicon Valley called. They want their wardrobe back!
The ET Startup Awards’ Silicon Valley dress code brought out puffer vests and sneakers, dresses where blazers might once have been, and silk saris worn with fitness watches. Striking a balance between boardroom polish and founder-casual ease, guests rounded off their looks with smart rings and trackers, turning the evening’s uniform into something more personal and data-driven.
ET Startup Awards 2026 | List when the business is predictable, and stay transparent after: Groww, Meesho founders
The advice from the two founders, during a panel discussion at The ET Startup Awards moderated by Samidha Sharma, came as a number of startups are looking to tap the public market early in their journey. Value commerce platform Meesho and wealthtech company Groww, both around a decade old, listed on stock exchanges a month apart late last year.
ET Startup Awards 2026 | Tier-II cities rechart startup geography: IDFC First Bank’s Vaidyanathan
The startup story is not confined to a handful of sectors or cities, but is being shaped by talent and ideas across the country, Vaidyanathan said. About 52% of the startups banking with IDFC First Bank come from tier-II and -III locations, reflecting the widening geography of entrepreneurship, he said.
ET Startup Awards 2026 | Govt backing and patient capital propel India's leap into AI and chips: Satyan Gajwani
Gajwani said the ecosystem, once driven by fintech, food delivery, SaaS, commerce, quick commerce and direct-to-consumer brands, was witnessing founders focused on deep, proprietary technology. Indian startups are now building semiconductor chips, AI, robotics, clean energy technologies and new materials, while investors are shaping funds, willing to wait longer for these companies to mature.
ETSA 2026: Over a decade on, India's startup story is only getting started
The 12th edition of The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA) captured this transition, reflecting an ecosystem that has moved beyond the race for scale to pursue technological depth, durable businesses and international markets.
The ET Startup Awards 2026 special
Entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers came together in a star-studded event to honour the best of Indian entrepreneurship at the ET Startup Awards 2026 in Bengaluru.
Winners of The ET Startup Awards 2026 to be feted today
Happy Friday! The who's who of the startup ecosystem will come together in Bengaluru today to honour the winners of The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA) 2026.
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