In addition to the Startup50 List, we requested the jury members to pick winners for the following six special awards.
The Smart CEO Startup of the Year: Happiest Minds Technologies
Presented by Valmark
Why it was chosen
For reaching an annual run rate of US $50 million within three years of founding, and for serving over 100 global customers in disruptive technology related services.
Founders
Ashok Soota, Vikram Gulati, Ramakanth Desai, Puneet Jetli, Salil Godika, Dattatri Salagame, Joseph Anantharaju, Aurobinda Nanda, Prasenjit Saha, Raja Shanmugam, Raja Sekher, Venkatesan K.
To read the full story, visit this page.
Global Tech Product/Service Startup from India: Freshdesk
Presented by IDA Ireland
Why it was chosen
Coined as one of India’s fastest growing product startups, serving 50,000+ customers around the world with its SaaS product for customer support. Freshdesk recently raised US $94 million and is the first Indian company that raised money from Google Capital.
Founder
Girish Mathrubootham
To read the full story, visit this page.
Social Impact Startup of the Year: Forus Health
Presented by Shriram Capital
Why it was chosen
For manufacturing affordable eye care equipment (3Nethra) to eradicate preventable blindness. Forus sells its pre-screening Ophthalmology devices and Tele-medicine solution (ForusCare) to range of eye hospitals, individual Ophthalmologists, Diabetic clinics, Diagnostic/Health centers, Optical retail and more.
Founders
- Chandrasekhar (KC) and Shyam Vasudev
To read the full story, visit this page.
Consumer Brand/Retail Startup of the Year: Hector Beverages
Presented by Tamara Coorg
Why it was chosen
For building the company that could be India’s answer to Coke and Pepsi. It was chosen for being a category creator in the Indian ethnic beverage segment, for its ability ramp up distribution and for its focus on nutritive drinks with low-sugar.
Founders
Neeraj Kakkar and Suhas Misra
To read the full story, visit this page.
Consumer Internet Startup of the Year: Tie Between Oyo Rooms and Urban Ladder
Presented by Valmark
Why they were chosen
Oyo Rooms for becoming India’s largest branded network of budget hotels across 86 cities in no time. It helps non-descript hotels reinvent itself and adopts an asset light model of helping property owners revamp their hotels and then find customers for them. We certainly see it as a winner for truly disrupting in this space.
Urban Ladder for reinventing how consumers buy furniture in India, serving 28 cities across the country and for attracting the attention of Ratan Tata as an investor.
Founders
Oyo Rooms: Ritesh Agarwal
Urban Ladder: Rajiv Srivatsa and Ashish Goel
To read the full story, visit this page: Urban Ladder/ Oyo Rooms
Enterprise Tech Startup of the Year: WebEngage
Presented by Wealth Advisors
Why it was chosen
For pioneering in developing DIY tools for the online marketer, without intervention from a developer and for serving several of India’s leading consumer Internet firms including MakeMyTrip. In fact, WebEngage also made it to the Mashable List of Top 10 Product startups from India.
Founders
Avlesh Singh, Ankit Utreja
To read the full story, visit this page.
