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The ET Startup Awards 2026 special
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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.
Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said changes to the US H-1B visa regime would not hurt Indian companies or talent, and argued that tighter access to the visas could instead give India’s startup ecosystem a boost.
Driving the news: Speaking during a fireside chat at the ET Startup Awards 2026, Goyal, who was the guest of honour, said, “I don't think Indian companies and talent will be impacted by the H-1B changes. I see so many Indian businessmen in the US. What would have happened if they had been doing their business and research in India?” he said, adding, “Not getting H-1B visas will create a greater thrust to our startup ecosystem.”
Work coming to India: The bulk of the work, Goyal said, is now coming to Bengaluru, Noida, Mumbai, and Hyderabad as businesses recognise the value of setting up global capability centres (GCCs) in India.
“The pandemic has changed things dramatically, since much work no longer requires physical presence and can be done from home or offshore. Only a few people may need to go,” he said.
Clockwise from top left: Startup of the Year - Groww; Midas Touch - Manu Chandra of Sauce; Best on Campus - Armatrix and Social Enterprise - Varaha
Clockwise from top left: Woman Ahead - Pallavi Mohadikar, Palmonas and Pallavi Shrivastava, Progcap; Comeback Kid - Mukund Jha; Top Innovator - Theranautilus and Bootstrap Champ - Habuild
L-R: ETtech editor Samidha Sharma, Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey and Groww CEO Lalit Keshre
Early-stage founders in India believe they can tap public markets sooner, and some are weighing whether to skip private fundraising, Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey said at a panel alongside Groww CEO Lalit Keshre and ETtech editor Samidha Sharma.
Verbatim: “In the US, small IPOs are rare, while in India both small and large listings are taking place.” That, he suggested, is changing how founders think about funding. “Founders are now thinking: can I short-circuit and go public instead of raising private capital?”
Public vs private: Aatrey said the company must continue to innovate while meeting the expectations of public-market investors. Groww went public in November last year, followed by Meesho in December.
Keshre said Groww’s working style had largely remained unchanged after its listing, with the company continuing to focus on long-term goals while executing in the short term.
Advice to founders: Drawing on Meesho’s own experience, Aatrey stressed that transparency was key for a public offering. "Meesho listed while it was still building out its supply chain and made a point of communicating well with investors, and priced the stock according to all the relevant information in hand," he said.
L-R: Accel's Prashanth Prakash, Agrani Labs CEO Dheemanth Nagaraj, Pixxel cofounder and CTO Kshitij Khandelwal and BrainSight AI cofounder Laina Emmanuel
Deeptech leaders at the ET Startup Awards 2026 said geopolitical tensions are disrupting space supply chains, while government backing and India’s STEM talent could help domestic startups compete globally.
Supply chain woes: Pixxel cofounder and CTO Kshitij Khandelwal said Middle East tensions have affected the availability and cost of components such as detectors used in space and airborne sensing systems. He also highlighted the growing demand for sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
Govt as first customer: Agrani Labs CEO Dheemanth Nagaraj said the government must become an early customer for Indian deeptech firms, helping them prove their technology and compete with global incumbents. He said Indian products must meet global standards, as customers would not accept substandard alternatives simply because they are cheaper.
Talent advantage: BrainSight AI cofounder Laina Emmanuel said India’s strong pool of doctors and STEM professionals offers an advantage in building deeptech startups. She also stressed the need for scientists, engineers and doctors to work together and build deeptech companies.
ETSA 2026: Not getting H-1B visas will boost our startup ecosystem: Piyush Goyal
Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said changes to the US H-1B visa regime would not hurt Indian companies or talent, and argued that tighter access to the visas could instead give India’s startup ecosystem a boost.
Driving the news: Speaking during a fireside chat at the ET Startup Awards 2026, Goyal, who was the guest of honour, said, “I don't think Indian companies and talent will be impacted by the H-1B changes. I see so many Indian businessmen in the US. What would have happened if they had been doing their business and research in India?” he said, adding, “Not getting H-1B visas will create a greater thrust to our startup ecosystem.”
Work coming to India: The bulk of the work, Goyal said, is now coming to Bengaluru, Noida, Mumbai, and Hyderabad as businesses recognise the value of setting up global capability centres (GCCs) in India.
“The pandemic has changed things dramatically, since much work no longer requires physical presence and can be done from home or offshore. Only a few people may need to go,” he said.
Meet the winners
ET Startup Awards 2026: Indian founders eyeing early IPOs instead of private capital: Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey
Early-stage founders in India believe they can tap public markets sooner, and some are weighing whether to skip private fundraising, Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey said at a panel alongside Groww CEO Lalit Keshre and ETtech editor Samidha Sharma.
Verbatim: “In the US, small IPOs are rare, while in India both small and large listings are taking place.” That, he suggested, is changing how founders think about funding. “Founders are now thinking: can I short-circuit and go public instead of raising private capital?”
Public vs private: Aatrey said the company must continue to innovate while meeting the expectations of public-market investors. Groww went public in November last year, followed by Meesho in December.
Keshre said Groww’s working style had largely remained unchanged after its listing, with the company continuing to focus on long-term goals while executing in the short term.
Advice to founders: Drawing on Meesho’s own experience, Aatrey stressed that transparency was key for a public offering. "Meesho listed while it was still building out its supply chain and made a point of communicating well with investors, and priced the stock according to all the relevant information in hand," he said.
ETSA 2026: Deeptech founders flag supply chain woes, call for govt support
Deeptech leaders at the ET Startup Awards 2026 said geopolitical tensions are disrupting space supply chains, while government backing and India’s STEM talent could help domestic startups compete globally.
Supply chain woes: Pixxel cofounder and CTO Kshitij Khandelwal said Middle East tensions have affected the availability and cost of components such as detectors used in space and airborne sensing systems. He also highlighted the growing demand for sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
Govt as first customer: Agrani Labs CEO Dheemanth Nagaraj said the government must become an early customer for Indian deeptech firms, helping them prove their technology and compete with global incumbents. He said Indian products must meet global standards, as customers would not accept substandard alternatives simply because they are cheaper.
Talent advantage: BrainSight AI cofounder Laina Emmanuel said India’s strong pool of doctors and STEM professionals offers an advantage in building deeptech startups. She also stressed the need for scientists, engineers and doctors to work together and build deeptech companies.
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