ET Startup Awards 2023: Resilient and sustainable businesses key while picking winners, say jury members

Building lasting value as opposed to just pushing for near-term growth and ensuring sustainability even in turbulent times will be some traits the stellar jury members of the Economic Times Startup Awards 2023 will look for in the nominees. Today, Renuka Ramnath, founder & MD, Multiples Private Equity, Harshil Mathur, cofounder & CEO, Razorpay (ETSA 2022 winner of Startup of the Year) and Supam Maheshwari, cofounder & CEO, FirstCry, tell us what they expect from this year's contenders.

Renuka Ramnath, founder & MD, Multiples Private Equity

As a jury member, this year I would look for companies that have performed across a trifecta of revenue growth, a clear path to profitability, and navigating challenging funding environment through judicious capital allocation. An essential criterion for me would be the display of unwavering commitment to sound governance practices. In my view, these elements will enable certain companies to generate substantial, enduring value for their various stakeholders over the long term.


Harshil Mathur, cofounder & CEO, Razorpay

The zeal and enthusiasm that startups in India have been projecting for the last two decades has underscored India’s position as a potent change-maker across the global landscape. Our resilient growth amid the pandemic and global economic challenges has sparked a global conversation, projecting the next decade as India's time to shine. Being in the business of building for businesses ourselves, we at Razorpay take pride in our pivotal role in enabling and witnessing startups to impact, fully innovate, and shape the future.

It’s an absolute delight for me personally, to now learn more about such trailblazers, their journey, and the dent they have created while disrupting their respective industries. I am particularly interested in understanding how the nominees have created resilient businesses, ensuring sustainable growth even during turbulent times. As we celebrate and champion their victories, I will be closely examining these key factors among the winners. Looking forward to some exciting nominations this year.

Supam Maheshwari, cofounder & CEO, FirstCry

Having been an entrepreneur almost my entire career, entrepreneurship is extremely close to my heart and evokes immense respect for my fellow entrepreneurs who have dared to dream, and hustled to make a difference in an immensely crowded and competitive market, and reach a certain critical mass. Eagerly looking forward to interacting with such valiant and spirited entrepreneurs who have built some amazing businesses that demonstrate scale, competitive moat, sustainable business model and are on a clear way to build a massive India story and well-positioned to become a true Indian MNC.