Top 10 Indian Startups to Watch in 2026
India's startup ecosystem crossed 110 unicorns by 2025 and the next wave is here.
The full ranking — 10 picks
-
Top pickRank 1. Zepto
Quick commerce10-minute grocery delivery that scaled past Blinkit and Instamart in many metros. Profitable in core cities. The bellwether for India's quick-commerce thesis.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Wikipedia/Wikimedia · Public domain -
Rank 2. Sarvam AI
AI / GenerativeIndian-language generative AI models built specifically for Indic users. Selected as a sovereign AI partner under India's IndiaAI Mission. Genuinely a frontier-research startup.
Photo: Wikipedia/Wikimedia · Wikipedia (editorial use) -
Rank 3. Razorpay
FintechPayments infrastructure now expanding into banking and treasury for SMBs. Currently re-domiciled to India and preparing for a 2026-2027 IPO.
Photo: Wikipedia/Wikimedia · Editorial use -
Rank 4. boAt
D2C consumerAudio and wearables brand that owns the budget-premium segment in India. IPO-bound, with a growing presence in earbuds, smartwatches and home audio.
Photo: Wikipedia/Wikimedia · Editorial use -
Rank 5. Ather Energy
Electric mobilityPremium electric scooter maker that successfully IPO'd in 2025. The 450X remains the enthusiast's choice; Ather Rizta caters to families. Genuine vertical integration.
Photo: Dibyam Das · Wikipedia/Wikimedia · CC BY 4.0 -
Rank 6. Lenskart
D2C consumerEyewear giant that went from India to global, with a strong push into Southeast Asia and the Middle East. IPO expected in 2026.
Photo: Saishna96 · Wikipedia/Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 -
Rank 7. Meesho
E-commerceSocial commerce for non-metro India. Profitable, with a focus on Tier 2-3-4 cities. Their 'Made in India' supplier-driven model is genuinely differentiated.
Photo: Meesho · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain -
Rank 8. Drip Capital
B2B fintechCross-border trade finance for Indian SMEs. Disbursed over $5 billion in trade credit. One of the quieter, more profitable Indian fintechs.
Photo: Wikipedia/Wikimedia · Wikipedia (editorial use) -
Rank 9. Hyperface
Credit cards as a serviceB2B platform that lets banks and brands launch credit cards in weeks instead of months. Powers many of the co-branded credit cards you see in India today.
Photo: Christian Lawson-Perfect · Wikipedia/Wikimedia · CC0 -
Rank 10. Mintifi
B2B fintechSupply chain financing for distributors and retailers in semi-urban India. Backed by Premji Invest and Norwest. The boring-but-important plumbing of Indian B2B trade.
Photo: Wikipedia/Wikimedia · Editorial use
Nothing in this list matches that. Try another word.
How this list was made
These are ten Indian startups worth tracking in 2026 — picked across sectors from AI to climate tech to consumer brands, weighted toward companies with genuine product-market fit, not just funding.
About this list
Top 10 Indian Startups to Watch in 2026 runs from 1 to 10. Zepto takes the top spot, and Mintifi closes it out at number 10. It was first published on 27 May 2026 and last revised on 24 September 2026.
Spotted something out of date, or an entry you would rank differently? Tell us — the order on this page is revised as the picks change.
