National Startup Awards 2020 Handholding

The first edition of the National Startup Awards invited applications across 12 sectors, which were further sub-classified into a total of 35 categories and 3 special categories. A robust four-stage evaluation methodology was used to assess these entries on parameters of Innovation, Scalability, Economic Impact, Social Impact, Environmental Impact, and Inclusiveness and Diversity. 

 

Subsequently, the winners were announced through a felicitation ceremony held on the 6th of October 2020, by Hon’ble Minister of Railways and Commerce and Industry, and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Piyush Goyal, in the presence of Hon’ble Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Shri Som Parkash.

 

All 192 finalists of NSA 2020 are being handheld across 9 tracks through various Startup India initiatives.

 

 

9 Tracks of Handholding Startups

Investor Connect

Facilitating funding and investor connect

Mentorship

Curated mentorship programs for the startups

 

Startup India Champions on DoorDarshan

Showcasing achievements and journey of startups on national television

 

Government Connect

Exploring possibilities for procurement/ pilot project

 

International Market Access

Facilitating international market access as per requirements through both government connect and private sector support

 

Regulatory Support

Identifying key regulatory bottlenecks and working closely with concerned Ministries in addressing them

 

Startup India Benefits

Apprising the startups of various incentives and benefits available under Startup India initiative

 

Startup India Showcase

An exclusive platform for startups to exhibit their products/services through one-of-it’s kind virtual showcase on Startup India Hub

Corporate Connect

Facilitating corporate linkages and market access through private sector interventions

NSA Handholding Support
Investor Connect 1
1
SIDBI Pitching Sessions
icon SIDBI
icon 19-11-2020 Onwards

5 sessions have been conducted by SIDBI, giving opportunity to NSA 2020 Finalists to pitch their products/services to esteemed investor panels.

1
SIDBI Pitching Session-1
icon SIDBI
icon 19-11-2020

10 NSA 2020 Finalists from Food and Finance Sectors presented to more than 70 investors.

43 connections were facilitated.

2
SIDBI Pitching Session-2
icon SIDBI
icon 17-12-2020

24 NSA 2020 Finalists from Agriculture and Health Sectors presented to more than 60 investors.

28 connections were facilitated.

3
SIDBI Pitching Session-3
icon SIDBI
icon 12-02-2021
24 NSA 2020 Finalists from Industry 4.0, Security and Tourism Sectors presented to more than 30 investors. 14 connections were facilitated.
 
4
SIDBI Pitching Session-4
icon SIDBI
icon 05-03-2021
25 NSA 2020 Finalists from Inductry 4.0, Enterprise Tech, Space and Urban Services Sectors presented to more than 60 investors.
17 connections were facilitated.
5
SIDBI Pitching Session-5
icon SIDBI
icon 26-03-2021

22 NSA 2020 Finalists from Agriculture, Education, Energy, Food and Finance Sectors presented to more than 30 investors.

10 connections were facilitated.

2
India-Japan Pitching Sessions
icon SIDBI
icon 09-11-2020, 27-01-2021, 12-03-2021

Startup India has partnered with Embassy of India, Tokyo to help Indian startups with an exclusive opportunity to explore Japan as a potential business destination. Pitching Sessions are being organised across the 12 NSA 2020 sectors.

So far, 3 pitching sessions have been conducted for Energy, Agriculture and Health sectors, where 10 NSA 2020 Finalists presented.

3
TiE GLobal Summit
icon TiE
icon 08-12-2020 to 10-12-2021

All NSA 2020 Finalists received all-access pass to TiE Global Summit 2020, which included closed-door pitching opportunities.

4
Fundraising Facilitation
icon Mumbai Angels
icon 15-11-2020

Mumbai Angels (MA) shared its standard terms and guidelines with all NSA 2020 Finalists. 15 startups expressed interest for fund raising through them. MA interacted with all 15 startups and due diligence process for 4 startups was initiated.

2 startups have completed due diligence process and are in advance stages of the fundraising process.

5
Investor Connect Program
icon IVCA
icon 15-11-2020

Meetings with NSA 2020 Winners and 33 VC members facilitated by IVCA.

Mentorship 2
1
1-to-1 Mentoring
icon Sequoia
icon 15-04-2021 Onwards

Sequoia India has shortlisted 10 NSA 2020 Finalists for dedicated mentoring with Sequioa’s investment team.

2
Masterclass
icon IVCA
icon 11-02-2021
IVCA conducted a Masterclass on 'Due Diligence and Valuation' for all NSA 2020 Finalists.
3
NASSCOM 10,000
icon NASSCOM
icon 17-04-2021 Onwards

NASSCOM has selected 37 startups for providing them technical mentoring support. The startups have an all-access to all mentoring programs under NASSCOM 10,000 Startups Program.

Startup India Champions on DoorDarshan 3
Government Connect 4
1
Startups for Public Services: Government Connect Program with Ministry of Power
icon Ministry of Power
icon 12-03-2021

Government connect program with Ministry of Power and its aligned Government entities was conducted for providing procurement and pilot opportunities to NSA 2020 Finalists.

11 startups pitched their offerings to officials from 10 Public Sector Power Companies and other bodies.

NTPC scheduled a detailed presentation with 4 startups which saw more than 20 senior technical officers' participation.

2
Startups for Public Services: Government Connect Program with MOP&NG
icon MOP&NG
icon 17-03-2021

Government connect program with Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOP&NG) and its aligned Government entities was conducted for providing procurement and pilot opportunities to NSA 2020 Finalists.

14 startups pitched their offerings to more than 70 officers from 14 different major Oil and Gas CPSUs.

40 on the spot connection requests for further engagement were obtained. MRPL reached out to a startup for a detailed proposal. HPCL has requested startups to enrol through their startups' registration process.

3
Startups for Public Services: Government Connect Program with Ministry of Education
icon Department of Higher Education
icon 08-04-2021

Government connect program with Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and its aligned bodies was conducted for providing procurement and pilot opportunities to NSA 2020 Finalists.

 

9 startups presented their offerings to 6 attached bodies and 1 PSU.

 

4 startups received on-spot connection request from participating officers. 15 expressions of interest to engage with startups were received in post-event feedback.

International Market Access 5
1
USA
icon US-India Mentoring Program
icon 05-01-2021
  • The inaugural event hosted by DPIIT, Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) was graced by Dr. Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO, USISPF, H.E. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador of India to the United States, and Mr. Anil Agrawal, Additional Secretary, DPIIT.
  • The highlight of the event was the fireside chat with Mr. John Chambers, Founder & CEO, JC2 Ventures, Chairman, USISPF, who shared his valuable insights on entrepreneurship and how he views the future of the Indian startup ecosystem. This was followed by address by Mr. Anil Advani, Founder and Managing Partner, Inventus Law, on cross-border company formation and regulation around the same, and Mr. Vinod Muthukrishnan, Chief Growth Officer (CCBU), CISCO shedding light on his startup’s journey from inception to acquisition.
2
Sweden
icon Startup India
icon 27-11-2020, 19-02-2021, 09-02-2021
  • India-Sweden Innovation Day :The 7th India Sweden Innovation Day was organized by India Unlimited, in association with Startup India, Embassy of India in Sweden, Sweden-India Business Council (SIBC), and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). 6 NSA 2020 Finalists were identified by SIBC to showcase their solutions to stakeholders from India and Sweden.
  • Sweden Mentor Connect: It is a closed-door mentorship series to encourage cross border knowledge exchange and prepare entrepreneurs for expansion to new markets. 3 Indo-Sweden Mentor Connect sessions have been conducted to prepare Indian Startups to explore Sweden as a market, with participation from over 150 startups for mentorship, handholding, and query resolution.
  • STHLM (Stockholm) Fintech Week: 4 NSA 2020 Finalists from the financial services sector were selected to attend the Sthlm Fintech Week.
3
Croatia
icon Startup India
icon 12-02-2021, 26-12-2020
  • Salon of Innovations: Croatian Chamber of Economy, County Chamber Bjelovar conducted the 8th Salon of Innovations Bjelovar 2020- Virtual Exhibition of Innovations, where 20 NSA 2020 Finalists were given virtual booths free of cost, to present their innovations to the Croatian business community.
  • India-Croatia Startup Webinar: Embassy of India in Croatia, Startup India, and Invest India organized a webinar on exploring India and Croatia as Potential Markets for Startups, which was graced by the Ambassador of India to Croatia, H.E. Mr. Raj Kumar Srivastava. 4 NSA 2020 Finalists got the opportunity to present in this webinar.
4
Netherlands
icon Startup India
icon 28-10-2020, 05-03-2021
  • India-Netherlands Startup/Scaleup Cyber-Security Mission:A select few of the best startups/ scale-ups from the Netherlands and India were presented with an opportunity to pitch their solutions in front of Indian and Dutch corporates like Shell, Phillips, JP Morgan, and Tech Mahindra. 3 NSA 2020 Finalists from cyber-security sector were given an opportunity to participate in the pitching session. This session was conducted as part of India-Netherlands Cybersecurity Mission in partnership with Data Security Council of India, Embassy of the Netherlands, Hague Security Delta.
  • Indo-Dutch Talks: Startup India, Invest India and the Embassy of the Netherlands in India have collaborated to launch Indo-Dutch Talks. The program is a series of focused sessions on various essential topics to prepare Indian Startups for market expansion in the Netherlands. The program launch was graced by H.E. Marten van den Berg, Ambassador of the Netherlands to India, Nepal and Bhutan and Mr. Michiel Sweers, Director, Innovation and Knowledge, Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy, Netherlands, and Mr. Deepak Bagla, MD & CEO, Invest India. There was a panel discussion on 'Exploring the Dutch Gateway for Indian Startups' with the country heads and senior leaders from Unilever, Philips, Shell, TCS and HCL. The 1st mentorship session of the series, 'Exploring the Netherlands Market', was conducted on 24th March 2021, and had more than 80 startups participating with mentors from the Dutch ecosystem.
5
Japan
icon India-Japan Pitching Sessions
icon 09-11-2020, 27-01-2021, 12-03-2021
  • Startup India has partnered with Embassy of India, Tokyo to help Indian startups with an exclusive opportunity to explore Japan as a potential business destination.
  • Pitching Sessions are being organised across the 12 NSA 2020 sectors. 3 pitching sessions have been conducted for Energy, Agriculture and Health sectors, where 10 NSA 2020 Finalists presented.
  • A microsite dedicated to India-Japan investor connect sessions has been created for all relevant stakeholders.
9
Switzerland
icon Virtual Pitching Session
icon 17-03-2021
The Embassy of India, Berne organised a Virtual Investor Pitching Session for connecting 2 NSA 2020 Finalists in the Lifesciences sector with Swiss investors.
10
South Korea
icon Global VC Connect
icon 16-02-2021

A Global Venture Capital Connect event was conducted by NASSCOM, Startup India and the Korean Venture Capital Association, which saw a high turnout and interest shown by South Korean VCs in the Indian startup ecosystem.

Regulatory Support 6
1
Masterclass on Due Diligence & Valuations
icon Startup India, IVCA, Duff and Phelps
icon 11-02-2021

A detailed masterclass on 'Valuation and Due Diligence and Guidance' was conducted in association with IVCA and Duff and Phelps.50+ startups attended the workshop.

  • Guidance on valuation for startups from an impact investor was imparted by Sushma Kaushik, Partner, Aavishkaar Group.
  • Perspectives from an early stage consumer brand startup investor by Dipanjan Basu, Partner & CFO Fireside Ventures.
  • Valuation Masterclass – Valuation Frameworks for Young Startup by Duff & Phelps.
  • Due Diligence Masterclass – Essentials of the financial due diligence process for startups by Duff & Phelps.

A dedicated Q&A session was conducted to resolve the concerns of the startups.

2
Masterclass on ESOPs: Structuring ESOPs & Incentive Plans
icon Startup India, Khaitan Legal Associates
icon 31-03-2021

A detailed masterclass on 'ESOPs: Structuring and ESOPs and Incentive Plans and for Attracting Talent' was conducted in association with Khaitan Legal Associates.100+ startups attended the workshop.

  • The workshop covered the regulatory guide to ESOPs i.e. ESOP provisions under Companies Act, 2013 and Taxation of ESOPs.
  • The process and stages of issuance of ESOPs were discussed.
  • The workshop also covered how ESOPs act as a band-aid for Startups.

A dedicated Q&A session was conducted to resolve the concerns of the startups.

Startup India Benefits 7
1
Workshop on Tax Exemption & Associated Benefits
icon Startup India
icon 05-11-2020
  • Tax Exemption and Associated Benefits Workshop by Dr. Sanjeeva Kumar Majumdar, Manager, NRDC on how to avail tax exemption under Section 80IAC, Section 56(2)(viib), Section 54GB (capital gain transfers), and ESOPs, among others.
  • 22 NSA finalists have been granted exemption under Section 80-IAC as of March 2021.
  • Intimation regarding receipt of declaration has been sent to 37 NSA 2020 Finalists as of 7th April, 2021.
2
Workshop on GeM Registration
icon Startup India
icon 06-11-2020

'GeM Registration Workshop' by Mr. Shashank Sharma, GeM Business Facilitator and Senior Trainer, on how DPIIT-recognized startups can register on GeM as sellers, and sell their products/services directly to government entities.

12 NSA 2020 Finalists have their product/services listed on the GeM Portal.
3
Workshop on IPR Support
icon Startup India
icon 09-11-2020

'IPR Support Workshop' by CIPAM and Mr. Priyank Gupta, empaneled as an IPR facilitator for Startup India Scheme, on how to avail patent/trademark fee rebate, put application in fast-track mode, avail help from IPR facilitators, and IPR application evaluation process.

4
Workshop on Self-Certification Compliance Regime
icon Startup India
icon 10-11-2020

'Self-Certification Compliance Regime Workshop' by Mr. Avinash Kumar, Scientist C from Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), who gave a detailed overview of the Shram Suvidha Portal.

5
Workshop on Pitching to Government Entities
icon KSUM and Kritsnam Technologies
icon 20-11-2020

A 'Government Pitching Workshop' by Startup India, Kerala Startup Mission and Kritsnam Technologies on best practices to be followed while pitching to Government entities.

Startup India Showcase 8
1
Online Showcase
icon Startup India
icon 06-10-2020

Startup India Showcase is an online discovery platform for the most promising startups of the country chosen through various DPIIT and Startup India programs, exhibited in the form of virtual profiles.

The startups showcased on the platform have distinctly emerged as the best in their fields. These innovations have been handpicked by experts and have gone through multiple rounds of screening and evaluation.

As of now, 34 NSA 2020 Finalists have profiles on the Startup India Online Showcase. To visit, click below:

Startup India Showcase

Corporate Connect 9
1
FICCI for Startups Program
icon FICCI & IAN
icon 11-12-2020
All NSA 2020 Finalists have been invited to join-in 'FICCI for Startups' program under which, an extensive benefits package is provided to the startups, including connecting with FICCI Corporate Members, mentorship by industry experts, direct connect to the Indian Angel Network, access to soon to be launched FICCI-IAN Social Venture Fund, access to FICCI Innovation and Startup programmes, exhibitions, delegations, conferences, and connecting to the global investor community, among others.
2
FICCI Fintech Expo
icon FICCI
icon 10-03-2021 to 11-03-2021

FICCI extended complimentary booth to all NSA 2020 Finalists from the Fintech sector for FICCI’s ‘Fintech Expo 2021'.

3
FICCI Annual Expo
icon FICCI
icon 11-12-2020 to 14-12-2020

All NSA 2020 Finalists were provided complimentary access to exhibit at 'FICCI Annual Expo 2020'.

Investor Connect
Mentorship
Startup India Champions on DoorDarshan
Government Connect
International Market Access
Regulatory Support
Startup India Benefits
Startup India Showcase
Corporate Connect
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