The Economic Times
Business newspaper running startup, MSME and AI awards, and an AI hackathon for founders and teams.
The Economic Times at a glance
| Established | 1961 |
|---|---|
| Address | Maharashtra, India |
| Programmes | 5 standing programmes |
| Fees | 1 of 2 programmes that state a policy are free |
| Official website | economictimes.indiatimes.com |
| etspotlight@timesinternet.in |
Programs by The Economic Times
1 past program · Filter all programs
आगे क्या?
यह राउंड खत्म हो गया है। "मुझे बताएँ" दबाएँ, अगला शुरू होने पर हम ईमेल करेंगे।
Which The Economic Times programme fits you
5 programmes compared by who they are for, the stage they accept, how long they run and what they cost.
| Programme | Best for | Stage | Duration | Format | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ET AI Awards 2027 | Early-stage startups building AI products, plus SME and enterprise AI teams. | — | — | — | Paid |
| ET MSME Awards 2026 | Indian micro, small and medium enterprises. | — | — | — | Free |
| ET Startup Awards 2026With IDFC First Bank | Startups, by award category. | — | — | — | — |
| ET Product of the Year Awards 2026 | Software and product companies. | — | — | — | — |
| ET AI Hackathon (second edition)With Unstop | Engineering students, working professionals, startup teams and PhD scholars across India. | — | — | — | — |
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at The Economic Times, separate from the funding calls above.
ET's founder-facing offers are awards and a hackathon. It does not list an incubation or funding programme.
ET AI Awards 2027
CompetitionET's awards for AI products and teams, with a startup track for early-stage companies building AI products.
Best for: Early-stage startups building AI products, plus SME and enterprise AI teams.
- Paid
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
ET's AI awards recognise AI products, teams and leaders across startups, SMEs and enterprises. Entries are made per award track, function and category.
Who can apply
- Startup track: companies less than 10 years old, with fewer than 100 employees, and Startup India recognised or equivalent.
- SME and enterprise tracks are also run.
How to apply: Click Nominate Now, register with basic details, choose your track, function and category, complete the nomination form, pay the category fee and submit supporting material. An early-bird rate ends 15 October.
How selection works: Winners are announced at the ET AI Awards 2027 ceremony. The date and announcement details have not been published yet.
ET MSME Awards 2026
CompetitionET's awards for Indian micro, small and medium enterprises, judged category by category.
Best for: Indian micro, small and medium enterprises.
- Free
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
ET's MSME awards recognise Indian micro, small and medium enterprises. Each award category has its own criteria, set out on the Awards Category tab of the awards site.
Who can apply
- Any Indian business classified as a micro, small or medium enterprise under the Government of India's definition.
How to apply: Open the Applications & Nominations section and complete the form. If your details are ready, it takes about 15 minutes. There is no participation fee. Check that section to see whether the current round is open. Queries go to etspotlight@timesinternet.in.
ET Startup Awards 2026
CompetitionET's startup awards, presented by IDFC First Bank, in eight categories from Startup of the Year to Midas Touch - Best Investor.
Best for: Startups, by award category.
With IDFC First Bank
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The ET Startup Awards run on their own site, etstartupawards.com. There are eight categories: Startup of the Year, Top Innovator, Best on Campus, Woman Ahead, Bootstrap Champ, Comeback Kid, Social Enterprise, and Midas Touch - Best Investor.
Who can apply
- Bootstrap Champ: a startup that has won customers and earned revenue for at least a year.
- Best on Campus: founders who were students, with the aim of building a commercial enterprise.
How to apply: The awards site does not show entry dates, fees or full eligibility rules. Check it for the current round before you plan.
ET Product of the Year Awards 2026
CompetitionET's product awards, with more than 28 categories including vertical SaaS and Make in India products.
Best for: Software and product companies.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
ET's product awards cover software products across more than 28 categories. These include vertical SaaS products, judged on industry relevance, and a Make in India award for products that show significant contributions from India.
Who can apply
- Software and product companies. Vertical SaaS products are assessed on industry relevance.
How to apply: This page does not set out entry dates or fees. Check ET's awards section for the current edition.
ET AI Hackathon (second edition)
CompetitionET's AI hackathon, now closed, with tracks for engineering students, working professionals and startup teams, and PhD scholars.
Best for: Engineering students, working professionals, startup teams and PhD scholars across India.
With Unstop
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
ET's AI hackathon ran in three tracks: engineering students from Tier 1, 2 and 3 colleges across India; working professionals and startup teams; and PhD scholars and research professionals. It is also listed as the ET GenAI Hackathon 2026, and its body calls it the second edition.
Registration is closed. Prototype submission closed on 29 March 2026, and winners were announced on 30 April 2026. The page reports 54,000 registrations and 20 finalists. The prizes were cash, plus certificates and recognition. Unstop is the hackathon partner.
Who can apply
- Engineering students from Tier 1, 2 and 3 colleges across India.
- Working professionals and startup teams.
- PhD scholars and research professionals.
How to apply: Registration is closed for this edition.
News
- ET AI Hackathon 2.0 Phase-2 results are out: Shortlisted teams now head to the grand finalem.economictimes.com · 2 months ago
Source: Google News aggregated
How to apply to The Economic Times
सही पुरस्कार चुनना
- 10 वर्ष से कम पुराना, 100 से कम कर्मचारियों वाला शुरुआती चरण का AI स्टार्टअप, जिसे Startup India या समकक्ष मान्यता मिली हो: ET AI Awards का स्टार्टअप ट्रैक।
- जो स्टार्टअप ET Startup Awards की आठ श्रेणियों में से किसी एक में फिट बैठे: ET Startup Awards।
- भारत का सूक्ष्म, लघु या मध्यम उद्यम: ET MSME Awards।
- वर्टिकल SaaS या Make in India उत्पाद बेचने वाली सॉफ़्टवेयर कंपनी: ET Product of the Year Awards।
आवेदन कैसे काम करते हैं
- AI Awards: रजिस्टर करें, अपना ट्रैक, फ़ंक्शन और श्रेणी चुनें, नामांकन फ़ॉर्म भरें, श्रेणी शुल्क चुकाएँ और सहायक सामग्री जमा करें। अर्ली-बर्ड दर 15 अक्टूबर को समाप्त होती है।
- MSME Awards: यदि आपका विवरण तैयार हो तो फ़ॉर्म में लगभग 15 मिनट लगते हैं। कोई भागीदारी शुल्क नहीं है।
- Startup Awards: प्रविष्टि की तारीखें और पात्रता नियम पुरस्कार पृष्ठ पर नहीं दिखाए गए हैं। योजना बनाने से पहले साइट देख लें।
चयन कैसे होता है
- AI Awards: विजेता समारोह में घोषित होते हैं। तारीख प्रकाशित नहीं हुई है।
- Product of the Year: वर्टिकल SaaS उत्पादों का मूल्यांकन उद्योग प्रासंगिकता पर होता है।
श्रेणी के मानदंड
- Bootstrap Champ: जीते हुए ग्राहक और कम से कम एक वर्ष का राजस्व।
- Best on Campus: व्यावसायिक लक्ष्य, उन संस्थापकों से जो छात्र थे।
About The Economic Times
The Economic Times, known as ET, is a business newspaper founded in 1961. Alongside its news coverage, it runs startup and MSME awards, product awards and an AI hackathon open to students, professionals and startup teams.
Startup-facing programmes
ET's founder-facing offers are awards and a hackathon. The ET Startup Awards 2026, presented by IDFC First Bank, recognise startups in eight categories. The ET AI Awards 2027 include a startup track for early-stage companies building AI products. The ET MSME Awards cover Indian micro, small and medium enterprises and have no participation fee. The ET Product of the Year Awards cover software products across more than 28 categories.
The ET AI Hackathon is closed for its current edition. It is also listed as the ET GenAI Hackathon 2026.
Who can apply
The AI Awards startup track is for companies less than 10 years old, with fewer than 100 employees, that are recognised by Startup India or an equivalent body. The Startup Awards have category-specific tests. Bootstrap Champ requires a startup that has won customers and earned revenue for at least a year. Best on Campus is for founders who were students and set out to build a commercial enterprise.
The MSME Awards are open to any Indian business classified as a micro, small or medium enterprise under the Government of India's definition.
How the awards are judged
Product of the Year entries are assessed for industry relevance in vertical SaaS categories. AI Awards winners are announced at the ceremony, and the announcement date has not been published yet.
Who runs it
The Economic Times is a newspaper and media business. Its site copyright line names Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Some pages carry a Times Internet Ltd. copyright line instead.
ET also runs sponsored summits for business leaders. These are not founder programmes and are not covered here.
Get in touch
Send a message to The Economic Times — we'll forward it on your behalf.
Who they work with
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Frequently asked questions about The Economic Times
What is The Economic Times?
The Economic Times is a corporate based in Maharashtra.
What does The Economic Times do?
The Economic Times, known as ET, is a business newspaper founded in 1961. Alongside its news coverage, it runs startup and MSME awards, product awards and an AI hackathon open to students, professionals and startup teams. ET's founder-facing offers are awards and a hackathon.
Where is The Economic Times located?
The Economic Times is based in Maharashtra, India.
What programs does The Economic Times run?
The Economic Times runs ET AI Awards 2027, ET MSME Awards 2026, ET Startup Awards 2026 and ET Product of the Year Awards 2026, among others.
Do The Economic Times programmes charge a fee?
Most do not. ET MSME Awards 2026 is free to join, while ET AI Awards 2027 charges a fee.
How do I apply to The Economic Times?
- 10 वर्ष से कम पुराना, 100 से कम कर्मचारियों वाला शुरुआती चरण का AI स्टार्टअप, जिसे Startup India या समकक्ष मान्यता मिली हो: ET AI Awards का स्टार्टअप ट्रैक। - जो स्टार्टअप ET Startup Awards की आठ श्रेणियों में से किसी एक में फिट बैठे: ET Startup Awards। - भारत का सूक्ष्म, लघु या मध्यम उद्यम: ET MSME Awards। - वर्टिकल SaaS या Make in India उत्पाद बेचने वाली सॉफ़्टवेयर कंपनी: ET Product of the Yea…
When was The Economic Times founded?
The Economic Times was founded in 1961. It is a corporate.
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