New Delhi: The handholding support for winners and finalists of National Startup Awards 2022 was launched by the Secretary, DPIIT, Rajesh Kumar Singh after the announcement of the result of the National Startup Awards 2022 by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, Piyush Goyal commemorating the National Startup Day.
The handholding exercise will be conducted through multiple virtual and physical sessions, delegations, showcases, and specialised support. To facilitate the growth of the winners and finalists, the startups will be guided through a variety of initiatives aimed at helping them overcome challenges and achieve even greater success. For the holistic learning & growth of startups, DPIIT has crafted distinct tracks to provide tailored and dedicated support to the startups. These tracks are curated to provide Investor Pitching, Government Connects, Corporate & Unicorn Engagements, Brand Showcase, and International Market Access.
The handholding support has been aimed to provide the startups with the best showcase, learning & networking opportunities, building trust for their brand, creating a buzz around their product and giving them avenues to reach out to their potential customers. Several partners have been onboarded as well to execute the same. Major partners present at the launch event included Government e-Marketplace, SIDBI, IVCA, IAN, HSBC, Mobikwik, Good Glam Group, PHDCCI and Viacom 18.
As part of the handholding provided under National Startup Awards 2020 across 9 tracks, 400+ connections facilitated with ministries, investors, corporates, and mentors, 12 episodes on winners were aired on Doordarshan Startup Champions, and 192 finalists received one-on-one mentorship from industry experts. Similarly, as part of the handholding provided under National Startup Awards 2021 across 7 tracks, more than 30 knowledge sessions and 10+ pitching sessions were conducted for the winners and finalists. In addition to this, the cohort received 185+ hours of mentorship. More than 110 startups were also provided the exclusive opportunity to be showcased at Dubai Expo.
Startup India, a flagship initiative of the Government of India under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) conceived the National Startup Awards (NSA) to recognize and reward outstanding startups that have exhibited excellence financially, socially, and economically. The first two editions of the National Startup Awards rewarded and recognized 80+ winners and 300+ finalists. 41 startups across 17 sectors and 50 sub-sectors, 2 incubators, and 1 accelerator were identified as the winners of the National Startup Awards 2022. Other than the exemplary winners, 82 finalist startups have proven their mettle through various rounds of evaluation.