ET Startup Awards 2025: Honoring India's Emerging Startup Leaders
The Economic Times Startup Awards 2025 recognized outstanding startups and entrepreneurs across various categories including Best on Campus, Bootstrap Champ, Comeback Kid, and Midas Touch. Nawgati, a fuel-tech startup incubated at BITS Pilani, won Best on Campus for its innovative Aaveg platform tackling fuel station congestion. Capillary Technologies, awarded Comeback Kid, demonstrated resilience by pivoting during the pandemic and expanding globally. Ashish Agrawal received the Midas Touch for his impactful venture investments.
The Economic Times Startup Awards 2025 celebrated leading stars of India’s startup ecosystem by honoring exceptional startups and founders in multiple categories. Nawgati, a Noida-based fuel-tech startup incubated within BITS Pilani, won the Best on Campus award for its Aaveg platform which reduces fuel station congestion, saving time and money for drivers. The startup benefits from government support, campus incubation, and early funding advancement. Capillary Technologies was named Comeback Kid for its strategic pivot from retail SaaS to loyalty management, achieving substantial revenue growth outside India and preparing for a public offering. Ashish Agrawal, managing director at Peak XV Partners, won Midas Touch for his influential venture capital role, notably backing Groww and shaping India’s fintech landscape. These awards underscore the increasing prominence of student-led innovation, strategic agility in crisis, and visionary investment shaping India’s startup future. The event highlights India’s growing startup culture bolstered by digital infrastructure and supportive policies, and points to campuses as fertile grounds for future unicorns. Winners across categories exemplify breakthrough innovation, operational excellence, and impactful entrepreneurship driving the nation’s technology and business growth trajectory.
