The National Startup Awards are the Government of India’s main awards for startups. This guide uses the official Startup India pages for the 6th edition (NSA 6.0) to explain the categories, the prizes, who can apply and how winners are chosen. Dates on the official pages are not consistent, so we point out where to check.
Quick facts
- Categories (NSA 6.0): 23 in total, 20 sectoral and 3 special
- Prizes: Rs 25 lakh for the winner of each of the 20 sectoral categories, the Women-Led Startup of the Year and the North-East Startup Excellence Award
- Student award: a total pool of Rs 25 lakh across four age-based sub-categories
- Eligibility: startups must be DPIIT-recognised and registered on the Startup India portal, subject to the official guidelines
- Winners announced: on National Startup Day, 16 January 2027, according to the NSA 6.0 page
- Last checked: 5 November 2026 against the official Startup India pages; the application status and dates on the pages conflict, so check the portal
What are the National Startup Awards?
The landing page says the 6th edition aims to celebrate and empower startups that are building innovative, scalable and impactful solutions. The awards recognise excellence across 20 sectors, which the page says include agriculture, healthcare, space-tech, defence and the ocean economy.
Categories and prizes
NSA 6.0 has 23 categories: 20 sectoral and 3 special.
| Award | Prize |
|---|---|
| — | — |
| Each of the 20 sectoral categories | Rs 25 lakh for the winner |
| Women-Led Startup of the Year | Rs 25 lakh for the winner |
| North-East Startup Excellence Award | Rs 25 lakh for the winner |
| Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur Award | A total pool of Rs 25 lakh |
The student award
| Sub-category | Age | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | — |
| Budding Innovators | 10 to 14 | Rs 3 lakh | Rs 2 lakh |
| Rising Innovators | 14 to 16 | Rs 3 lakh | Rs 2 lakh |
| Young Changemaker | 16 to 18 | Rs 4 lakh | Rs 2 lakh |
| Emerging Entrepreneurs | 18 and above | Rs 6 lakh | Rs 3 lakh |
The NSA 6.0 page says student nominations come from 5 to 7 per State or Union Territory, followed by national evaluation.
Who can apply?
The NSA 6.0 page says startups must be DPIIT-recognised and registered on the Startup India portal, subject to the official guidelines. If you do not have recognition yet, start with our DPIIT recognition guide. The page says startups may apply in up to three sectoral categories, but its notes on the special categories are not consistent, so read the official guidelines PDF before you apply.
How are winners selected?
According to the page, applications go through:
1. Eligibility and compliance screening
2. Sectoral evaluation by committees, including Ministries, incubators, AIFs, banks and financial institutions
3. Shortlisting
4. A pitching event
5. A final evaluation by a National Jury Panel
Startup India, DPIIT, provides governance and approval. Applications must be in English only.
What about dates?
The NSA 6.0 page says winners are to be announced on National Startup Day, 16 January 2027. It also says the form is closed and gives a last submission date in July 2025, which does not match the edition’s timeline. Because of this conflict, check the official portal before you rely on any date.
Past editions
The landing page gives these application numbers: NSA 5.0 (2025) had 3,163 startup applications across 20 categories; NSA 2023 had 2,335; NSA 2022 had 2,604; NSA 2021 had 2,177; and NSA 2020 had 1,641, with 192 finalists and 36 winners.
Contact
The official pages give the email startup.support@investindia.org.in, and the toll-free number 1800 115 565 (10:00 AM to 5:30 PM).
Frequently asked questions
How many categories are there in NSA 6.0?
23: 20 sectoral and 3 special.
How much is the prize?
Rs 25 lakh for each sectoral winner and for the two special startup categories. The student award has a total pool of Rs 25 lakh.
Do I need DPIIT recognition?
Yes. The NSA 6.0 page says startups must be DPIIT-recognised and registered on the Startup India portal.
When are winners announced?
On National Startup Day, 16 January 2027, according to the NSA 6.0 page.
