Third edition of National Startup Awards to reward enablers 'revolutionising' India's development story

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has announced the third edition of the National Startup Awards. The awards are meant to reward those firms and enablers "who have been instrumental in revolutionising the development story of India".

The first edition in 2020 witnessed 1,600 applications, while last year's edition saw over 2,200 startups and enablers participating.

This years awards are split into 17 sectors, and 50 sub-sectors.

The sectors under consideration are agriculture, animal husbandry, construction, drinking water, education & skill development, energy, enterprise technology, environment, fintech, food processing, health and wellness, industry 4.0, media & entertainment, security, space, transport, and travel.

Additionally, there will be seven special categories for startups, including women-led startups, impact in rural areas, campus startups, innovation in tackling the pandemic, solution delivery or business operations in Indic languages, and startups from the eight North East states plus the four hilly state/union territories.

The winners of each startup award will gain Rs. 5 lakh, and the best incubator and accelerator will receive Rs 15 lakh each. Winners and runners-up will be given the opportunity to present their companies to relevant public authorities and private corporations to develop pilot programs.

The applications for the awards close on March 15, 2022.