DPIIT has launched the 6th edition of the National Startup Awards (NSA 6.0), giving Indian startups and young innovators another opportunity to gain national recognition, prize money, mentorship and access to the wider startup ecosystem.
Applications for National Startup Awards 6.0 are open from 27 October to 20 November 2026.
This year’s awards cover 20 sectoral categories and three special categories, including a new Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur Award. Winners in each of the 20 sectoral categories and the two startup-focused special categories can receive a ₹25 lakh cash prize, subject to the applicable guidelines.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Award | National Startup Awards 6.0 |
| Organiser | DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry |
| Initiative | Startup India |
| Applications open | 27 October 2026 |
| Last date | 20 November 2026 |
| Sectoral categories | 20 |
| Special categories | 3 |
| Prize for sectoral winners | ₹25 lakh each |
| Women-Led Startup award | ₹25 lakh |
| North-East Startup Excellence Award | ₹25 lakh |
| Student award | ₹25 lakh total prize pool |
| Winner announcement | 16 January 2027 |
The application deadline is confirmed by the Government’s PIB announcement, while Startup India states that the winners are scheduled to be announced on National Startup Day, 16 January 2027.
The National Startup Awards are a flagship initiative under Startup India, implemented by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
The awards recognise startups demonstrating:
The awards are not only about prize money. DPIIT says the programme also aims to provide startups with opportunities for mentorship, investor engagement, market access, industry partnerships and greater visibility.
For entrepreneurs exploring other government-backed innovation opportunities, see BusinessZindagi’s guide to MSME Idea Hackathon 6.0.
NSA 6.0 expands the awards into several emerging and strategically important sectors.
The edition introduces 12 new sectoral categories, including:
The expansion means the awards now cover a much broader range of businesses, from agriculture and fintech to defence, space technology, manufacturing and tourism.
There are 20 sectoral categories:
The complete category structure is available on the official Startup India NSA 6.0 page.
NSA 6.0 also has three special categories.
This category recognises eligible DPIIT-recognised startups led by women.
This is particularly important for entrepreneurs from Assam and the other North-Eastern states.
The category is designed for startups with a founder from the North-East.
This is a new category introduced in NSA 6.0 to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among school and college students.
The student award has a total prize pool of ₹25 lakh, distributed across four age-based sub-categories.
| Sub-category | Age | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budding Innovators | 10–14 years | ₹3 lakh | ₹2 lakh |
| Rising Innovators | 14–16 years | ₹3 lakh | ₹2 lakh |
| Young Changemakers | 16–18 years | ₹4 lakh | ₹2 lakh |
| Emerging Entrepreneurs | 18+ years | ₹6 lakh | ₹3 lakh |
The four sub-categories together have a total prize pool of approximately ₹25 lakh.
The student category is particularly interesting because it gives young innovators an opportunity to showcase a prototype, innovation or entrepreneurial idea at the national level.
For the main sectoral awards, DPIIT-recognised startups registered on the Startup India portal can apply, subject to the detailed eligibility requirements for the relevant category.
An eligible DPIIT-recognised startup can apply for a maximum of three sectoral categories. It can also apply for the applicable Women-Led and North-East special categories if it meets their requirements.
The Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur Award has separate eligibility requirements for school and undergraduate/college students.
Important: Applicants should check the official category-specific guidelines before submitting the application because eligibility conditions can vary.
The prize structure is one of the major attractions of NSA 6.0.
The cash prizes are subject to the applicable NSA 6.0 guidelines.
Applications are open from 27 October to 20 November 2026.
First determine whether your startup or student innovation meets the requirements of the selected category.
Choose the category that best matches your actual product, service, technology or innovation.
Clearly explain:
Submit the application through the official National Startup Awards 6.0 portal.
Applications must be submitted in English, according to the official Startup India FAQ.
The selection process involves multiple stages.
According to Startup India, applications go through:
Eligibility and compliance screening → Sectoral evaluation → Shortlisting → Pitching → Final evaluation by the National Jury
The evaluation process involves relevant government ministries, incubators, Alternative Investment Funds, banks/financial institutions and industry/domain experts.
This means startups should not treat the application as just another government form. A strong application should clearly demonstrate innovation, business potential, scalability and measurable impact.
A few practical points can make an application much stronger:
Start with the real problem your startup is solving rather than simply describing your product.
Tell the jury what is different about your technology, process, product or business model.
Where relevant, include customers, users, revenue, growth, jobs created, cost savings or other measurable results.
Explain how the solution can expand to more customers, markets, states or countries.
Explain the economic, social or environmental value created by the startup.
Don’t choose a category simply because it sounds attractive. Select the one that best represents your startup’s actual work.
For entrepreneurs who want to organise their business numbers and assumptions, BusinessZindagi’s Free Project Report Maker can also be useful as a planning tool. It is not an NSA application form and does not guarantee award selection.
DPIIT says NSA 6.0 aims to encourage participation from startups across States and Union Territories, including emerging ecosystems in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
The dedicated North-East Startup Excellence Award also creates a specific national recognition opportunity for startups with founders from the region.
For entrepreneurs who want to explore more government programmes, BusinessZindagi’s MSME and Startup Government Schemes coverage can help identify other opportunities.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 27 October 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 20 November 2026 |
| Expected winner announcement | 16 January 2027 |
The application dates are confirmed by PIB, while the winner announcement date is listed by Startup India.
Don’t wait until the final day. Preparing a strong startup application requires time to collect business information, impact data, product details and supporting evidence.
National Startup Awards 6.0 is the sixth edition of the Startup India/DPIIT awards programme recognising innovative, scalable and impactful startups across India.
The last date for applications is 20 November 2026.
Winners in each of the 20 sectoral categories and the Women-Led and North-East special startup categories can receive ₹25 lakh each, subject to the applicable guidelines. The student award has a separate total prize pool of ₹25 lakh.
Yes. A DPIIT-recognised startup can apply for a maximum of three sectoral categories, subject to the official eligibility conditions.
Yes. NSA 6.0 has introduced a dedicated Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur Award with four age-based sub-categories.
The student award has separate eligibility requirements from the main startup categories. Students should refer to the official student guidelines before applying.
Startup India states that winners are scheduled to be announced on 16 January 2027, National Startup Day.
If you are preparing a startup or business application, these BusinessZindagi resources may also be useful:
This BusinessZindagi article is an independent informational guide based primarily on official DPIIT, PIB and Startup India information available at the time of publication. Award categories, eligibility requirements, application procedures, dates and other conditions may be updated by the Government. Applicants should always check the latest official NSA 6.0 guidelines before submitting an application.
This article was prepared with AI assistance for research organisation, drafting and editing and was reviewed against available official government sources. AI assistance does not replace official government notifications or guidelines. Readers should verify important information directly with DPIIT/Startup India before taking action.
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