Mumbai: ET NOW hosted the 11th Season of Leaders of Tomorrow Awards in New Delhi on Saturday, 13 January 2024. India’s largest entrepreneurship platform dedicated to empowering, enabling and celebrating the entrepreneurship spirit, Leaders of Tomorrow Awards in its latest edition themed, “Innovate to Elevate” emphasized the pivotal role of innovation in driving the success and progress of enterprises and the role it plays in driving India's economic progress.
Championing the success stories of India’s most innovative and resilient MSMEs and start-ups, Leaders of Tomorrow Awards recognized India’s most promising entrepreneurs and showcased upcoming and enterprising small businesses across 20 categories shortlisted through an exhaustive pan-India screening process and duly evaluated by an esteemed panel of jury (See Annexure for complete list of Winners and Jury Members). The selection process involved benchmarking across a range of quantitative and qualitative parameters such as Business Model, Innovation & Disruption, Clarity of Thought and Business Vision.
Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Textiles Piyush Goyal delivered the keynote address at the event on ‘Innovation as a Catalyst for Growth’ and felicitated the winners.
Delivering the opening remarks, MK Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network CEO & MD MK Anand said, “For over a decade, Leaders of Tomorrow, India's largest entrepreneurship platform has enabled and empowered the spirit of enterprise. Besides contributing to GDP and employment, SMEs, MSMEs and startups fortify the Industrial base through their pivotal role in economic cycles and supply chains. As we mark our latest edition, "Innovate to Elevate," we proudly recognize 20 remarkable Entrepreneurs for their trailblazing products and ingenious strategies. These champions have not only shown resilience but an unwavering commitment to innovation. From pioneering revolutionary solutions to reshaping entire sectors, they are paving the way for sustainable economic growth on India’s path to being an Economic Superpower. We are thrilled to witness and cheer the rise of this new generation of entrepreneurs. I am confident that these Awards and our commitment to showcasing such entrepreneurial talent will continue to inspire countless individuals to script their own stories of entrepreneurial triumph.”
Goyal said, “I congratulate ET Now for recognising and honouring India's entrepreneurs and spirit of innovation. It is the only platform that recognises the unsung heroes, the leaders of tomorrow. There is great excitement about India globally. We are at the cusp of our nation's history that will catapult India into a high growth economy. As we celebrate Swami Vivekananda's birthday as National Youth Day, we must recall his call for action. He inspires every youth in the country. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's longest Atal Sea Link bridge, which will transform Mumbai's future. It has come up in record time due to PM's vision and drive, and a state government aligned with it.”
Goyal highlighted India's pivotal position poised for transformative growth, stating, 'India stands at a crucial juncture, ready to catapult into a $35 trillion economy in the next 24 years, marking an era of unprecedented growth.' Goyal proudly pointed out Atal Setu, highlighting the collaborative efforts between the Modi government and the Maharashtra government, forming a double-engine government, and fostering self-sufficiency through Gati Shakti. Emphasising India's stature not just as a large economy but a trusted one, he commended the global interest in investing, citing a meeting with a US investment house planning to double their $13 billion investment.
During a fireside chat, IDFC FIRST BANK MD & CEO V. Vaidyanathan shared insights on the Indian economy and the transformative impact of digital infrastructure for Leaders of Tomorrow. Regarding India's digital infrastructure, Mr. Vaidyanathan expressed optimism, stating, "The impact cannot be overstated. With digital connectivity, including Aadhaar and Bharat's optic network, India has achieved a remarkable feat, formalising the economy, notably for MSMEs. Over 100 million merchants now deal digitally through QR codes, facilitating trade and enabling micro-businesses. The optimistic MSME outlook stems from collective efforts of the government, RBI, and banks, coupled with robust asset quality, digitisation, and ongoing infrastructure investments, empowering micro-entrepreneurs in India."
A melting pot of Enterprising Visionaries, Start-up Gurus, Business Icons, Domain Experts, Next-Gen Entrepreneurs and Disruptors, the event witnessed a distinguished line-up of speakers. Leaders in the entrepreneurial space like Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-founder-Info Edge(Naukri.com, Jeevansathi.com, 99acres.com & more), Prasiddhi Singh, Founder-Prasiddhi Forest Foundation, Nav Agarwal, Founder- One Step Greener and Advait Thakur, Founder – Apex Infosys engaged in an inspiring panel discussion igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship.
The ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ Awardees are:
