From healthcare to BFSI, industry-specific SaaS is redefining business operations

Software has become central to how businesses operate, but a one-size-fits-all platform cannot solve every operational challenge. The workflows of a healthcare facility differ vastly from a logistics fleet, while retail and financial services come with their own distinct compliance and processing complexities. As businesses become more specialised, demand is shifting heavily toward software that inherently understands the sector it serves.

Recognising this shift toward deep, targeted innovation is the core mission of the Economic Times Product of the Year Awards 2026. Featuring over 28+ distinct categories, this broader awards program sets a strict benchmark for digital excellence, evaluating tools based on measurable evidence across adoption, execution quality, and real-world market impact.

Defining the Vertical SaaS Product of the Year Category

This specific category celebrates industry-specific software across sectors including hospitality and travel, healthcare operations, logistics, retail and commerce, and BFSI workflows. Rather than building broad platforms for multiple industries, Vertical SaaS products are purpose-built around the specific challenges of a single sector. Their true value lies in moving beyond being just another software product to becoming deeply embedded as part of an industry's operating infrastructure.

Eligibility Guidelines

For products entering this category, the evaluation goes far beyond basic functionality. To qualify, a product must meet the following criteria:

• Targeted Focus: The software must be purpose-built for a specific industry and currently live in India.

• Recent Development: It must have been launched or materially upgraded within the applicable eligibility window.

• Proven Impact: There must be concrete evidence of deep utilisation within the vertical, demonstrated through customer adoption and seamless workflow integration.

Products entering this category may also be eligible for related segments such as Enterprise SaaS and HR & WorkTech, provided they meet respective requirements.

What do Evaluators focus on?

The evaluation focuses on products that deeply understand and "own" the way their chosen industry works. Evaluators will focus on product-market fit, the depth of the workflows managed, and user retention within the sector. For Vertical SaaS companies, this category is an opportunity to highlight not just what their product does, but how reliably it solves industry-specific problems in practice.

Nominations for the ET Product of the Year Awards 2026 are now open.