The definitive list of all 10 winners from 2,500 applicants at Viksit Bharat Conclave Nagpur, April 2026. Names, founders, sectors, judges, and what happened next.
Shubham Gupta
COO & Co-founder at Nimit AI
The Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 Innovations of India, facilitated on stage at Viksit Bharat Conclave, RTMNU Nagpur, April 2026.
“The Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 Innovations of India were announced on April 11, 2026 at the Viksit Bharat Conclave at RTMNU Nagpur. From 2,500 startup applications across India, 10 were selected, a 0.4% selection rate. The cohort spans AI, aerospace, rural commerce, beauty, sustainability, edtech, marketplace, and social enterprise. The finalists were facilitated on stage by Maharashtra Education Minister Pankaj Bhoyar, with an appreciation letter from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. Nimitai placed 6th.”
These are the 10 startups selected as India's Top 10 Innovations at Innopreneurs Season 12, organised by Lemon Ideas (founded by Deepak Menaria). The final 10 were announced at the Viksit Bharat Conclave at RTMNU Nagpur on April 11, 2026.
Each startup pitched live to a panel of 5 judges in front of a 400+ person audience. The cohort spans eight sectors: AI, aerospace, rural commerce, beauty, sustainability, edtech, marketplace, and social enterprise.
| Number | What it stands for |
|---|---|
| 2,500 | Applications |
| 10 | Winners |
| 0.4% | Selection rate |
| 6th | Nimitai's rank |
| Rank | Startup | Founder | Sector | What they do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nautical Wings Aerospace | Shiv Varun Singh Rajput | Aerospace and Defence | Defence-focused aerospace startup building advanced unmanned aerial systems for the Indian defence sector. Developing indigenous drone technology for surveillance, logistics, and combat applications. |
| 2 | HESA | Vamsi Udayagiri | Rural Commerce | Rural commerce platform enabling last-mile delivery and digital commerce in Tier 3+ India. Building distribution infrastructure where traditional e-commerce cannot reach. |
| 3 | Mintree Cosmetics | Kanikka Dewani | D2C / Beauty | Direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand building clean beauty products for the Indian market. Focused on sustainable formulations and inclusive beauty standards. |
| 4 | Recycle Bell / Econiture | Madhur Rathi | Sustainability | Circular economy startup converting waste into furniture and usable materials. Building a complete recycling-to-product pipeline with Econiture as the product brand. |
| 5 | Kommon School | Krishnkant Chaturvedi | Edtech | Reimagining school education in India through technology-enabled learning. Building a scalable model for quality education delivery across underserved regions. |
| 6 | Nimitai (our startup) | Nilansh Gupta and Archit Dhir | AI / B2B SaaS | AI-powered conversation intelligence platform for B2B sales teams. Records, transcribes, and analyses sales calls in real time, providing live coaching, deal intelligence, and pipeline insights. Venture Nest, CGC Mohali incubatee. $149 per seat per month. |
| 7 | LOUOJ | Bibhuti Dash | Marketplace | Marketplace platform building at scale. Focused on connecting supply and demand in underserved categories with a technology-driven distribution model. |
| 8 | Beggars Corp | Dr. Chandra Mishra | Social Enterprise | Impact-driven social enterprise working on employability and economic mobility for underserved communities. Using technology and training to create sustainable employment pathways. |
| 9 | Aviotron Aerospace | Vaishnav C H | Aerospace and Drones | Deep-tech aerospace and drone technology startup. Building advanced unmanned systems for commercial and industrial applications across India. |
| 10 | vitt.ai | Bibhuti Anand | AI / Fintech | AI-powered platform operating at the intersection of artificial intelligence and financial technology. Founder philosophy: "In a startup, everyone is a salesperson and marketing person." |
About the ranking. All 10 startups were named "Top 10 Innovations of India" at the conclave. The ranking order reflects the order in which they were facilitated on stage by Maharashtra Education Minister Pankaj Bhoyar. Each startup earned its place through the same multi-stage selection process.
The full Top 10 cohort on stage at RTMNU Nagpur after the announcement ceremony.
Innopreneurs uses a multi-stage funnel that narrows 2,500 applications down to 10 through five rounds. The process takes several months and combines online evaluation with physical pitching at the conclave. For a detailed breakdown of what each stage involves, see our complete founder's guide to applying to Innopreneurs.
| Startups | Stage | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 2,500 | Applications received | Startups from across India applied online at innopreneurs.in |
| 1,200 | Initial shortlist | Passed the first screening round |
| 500 | Best picks | Advanced for deeper evaluation by the Lemon Ideas team |
| 100 | Semi-finalists | Evaluated in detail across problem, solution, traction, and team |
| 25 | Finalists | Invited to RTMNU Nagpur for the physical conclave |
| 10 | Top 10 Innovations of India | Named on stage at Viksit Bharat Conclave by Maharashtra Education Minister Pankaj Bhoyar |
Final selection rate: 0.4%. Fewer than 1 in 250 applicants made the Top 10.
The final round is a live pitch at RTMNU Nagpur in front of a panel of 5 judges and an audience of 400+ people. Startups demonstrate their product, defend their business model, and answer questions in real time. There are no pre-recorded presentations. The pitch is live.
Out of 2,500 startups from across India, only 10 were named Top Innovations. That is a 0.4% selection rate, tighter than most accelerator programmes in the country.
The judging panel at Innopreneurs Season 12 included VCs, serial entrepreneurs, and AI industry leaders. All 25 finalists pitched to this panel at the Viksit Bharat Conclave auditorium. For a deeper analysis of what the judges looked for and how to prepare, see the five lessons we learned pitching to India's top VCs.
| Judge | Role | What they brought to the panel |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Vishesh Kasliwal | Founder, Medysense Technologies | Health-tech entrepreneur and founder of Medyseva. Drilled into metrics, user count, and product accuracy during pitch evaluations. Known for clinical precision in questioning. |
| Sagar Bhajani | Co-founder, Khichdiwala | Serial entrepreneur who built Khichdiwala from scratch. His advice on pivoting came from lived experience: "Pivot is not the end; it is the next step ahead." |
| Akash Kirtane | CTO, Acube AI | AI industry leader who provided technical guidance during pitch evaluations. Known for his practical advice: "Stick to it and do deep research daily." |
| Amit Singal | Partner, Fluid Ventures and Indicorn Angels | VC investor, head judge, and guest speaker. One of the most active investors at the event, engaging with multiple startups and providing pointed, direct feedback. |
| Yaseen Shareef | Venture Partner, Ind44 Capital | Jury member for the final-stage pitch evaluation. Had detailed post-event conversations with founders about market opportunities and fundraising strategy. |
A finalist presenting to the 5-judge panel at RTMNU Nagpur. Judges asked pointed questions about metrics, market, and product accuracy.
Every finalist faced the same panel in the same room. The questions were direct: how many users, how accurate is the product, what is the unit economics, why now.
There was no pre-screening of questions and no time to regroup between them. Founders who had their numbers ready moved fast. Founders who did not lost minutes they could not get back.
That format is why the lessons we took from pitching still shape how we prepare for every investor conversation.
The Viksit Bharat Conclave was held at RTMNU Nagpur on April 10-11, 2026. The two-day event was organised by Lemon Ideas (Deepak Menaria) and VED Council (Vidarbha Economic Development Council), aligned with the Government of India's Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative.
The Gadkari letter specifically recognised the contribution of Lemon Ideas and VED Council in fostering innovation across India. It was addressed to the Innopreneurs cohort and publicly shared at the conclave, adding institutional weight to the Top 10 recognition that goes beyond a certificate.
A letter from Nitin Gadkari and facilitation by the Maharashtra Education Minister. This is not a startup weekend. This is a national-level recognition platform.
Maharashtra Education Minister Pankaj Bhoyar at the Viksit Bharat Conclave, the government presence that gives Innopreneurs finalists national-stage credibility.
Nimitai placed 6th in the Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 Innovations of India. We are an AI-powered conversation intelligence platform for B2B sales teams, founded by Nilansh Gupta (CEO) and Archit Dhir (CFO), incubated at Venture Nest, CGC Mohali.
At the conclave, we pitched the product live: a real-time AI demo running on a sales call, in front of 400+ people and the 5-judge panel. No slides. A working product. That pitch and the lessons we took from it shaped how we approach every investor conversation since.
Read the full story of how we got there: Innopreneurs Season 12 by Lemon Ideas: How Nimitai Reached India's Top 10 Innovations. Or read Shubham's account of our first-ever flight and first-ever stage.
Interested in Season 13? If you are a founder considering applying to the next season, we wrote a complete guide to applying and presenting at Innopreneurs and a Season 13 application guide with everything you need to know.
We pitched Nimitai at Innopreneurs Season 12 with a live AI demo in front of 400+ people. If you want to see what the judges saw, real-time conversation intelligence on a real sales call, see how Nimitai works or check pricing: $149 per seat per month, month-to-month, no seat minimum.
Nilansh Gupta and Archit Dhir on stage at RTMNU Nagpur. 6th place, Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 Innovations of India.
The Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 Innovations of India include Nautical Wings Aerospace, HESA, Mintree Cosmetics, Recycle Bell / Econiture, Kommon School, Nimitai, LOUOJ, Beggars Corp, Aviotron Aerospace, and vitt.ai. All 10 were announced on April 11, 2026 at the Viksit Bharat Conclave at RTMNU Nagpur and facilitated on stage by Maharashtra Education Minister Pankaj Bhoyar.
Approximately 2,500 startups from across India applied to Innopreneurs Season 12. These were narrowed through a multi-stage selection process (2,500 to 1,200 to 500 to 100 to 25 to 10) to arrive at the final Top 10 Innovations of India, representing a 0.4% selection rate.
The Innopreneurs Season 12 selection rate was 0.4%. Only 10 startups were named from approximately 2,500 applicants, meaning fewer than 1 in 250 applicants made the final list. Even reaching the Top 25 finalists (1% selection rate) is considered a significant achievement.
Innopreneurs Season 12 culminated at the Viksit Bharat Conclave held at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on April 10-11, 2026. The event was aligned with the Government of India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Innopreneurs Season 12 was organized by Lemon Ideas, a Nagpur-based entrepreneurship organization founded by Deepak Menaria (Founder and Chief Idea Farmer). The event was co-organized with VED Council (Vidarbha Economic Development Council) and hosted at RTMNU Nagpur. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari sent an appreciation letter, and Maharashtra Education Minister Pankaj Bhoyar facilitated the Top 10 on stage.
Viksit Bharat Conclave is a national-level startup and innovation conclave aligned with the Government of India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The Nagpur edition (April 10-11, 2026) at RTMNU brought together startup founders, VCs, industry leaders, government officials, and 400+ attendees. The Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 were announced and facilitated at this conclave.
Applications for Innopreneurs Season 13 are expected to open online at innopreneurs.in. Follow Lemon Ideas on LinkedIn and check innopreneurs.in regularly for announcements. Based on Season 12, the process involves an online application covering your problem statement, solution, team, and traction, followed by multi-stage screening rounds. Season 12 received 2,500 applications with a 0.4% selection rate. See our Season 13 application guide for the full walkthrough.
The Innopreneurs Season 12 Top 10 winners spanned eight sectors: AI/SaaS (Nimitai, vitt.ai), Aerospace and Defence (Nautical Wings Aerospace, Aviotron Aerospace), Rural Commerce (HESA), D2C/Beauty (Mintree Cosmetics), Sustainability (Recycle Bell/Econiture), Edtech (Kommon School), Marketplace (LOUOJ), and Social Enterprise (Beggars Corp). This diversity reflects Innopreneurs' cross-sector evaluation criteria.
Share with your sales leadership or engineering team.
COO & Co-founder at Nimit AI
Specialist in enterprise objection handling and pipeline velocity analytics.
Founder PlaybookFrom 2,500 applicants to the Top 10 Innovations of India, with every key VC, judge, and founder we met at Viksit Bharat Conclave Nagpur.
Nilansh Gupta
Founder & CEO at Nimit AI
Founder PlaybookInnopreneurs Season 13 applications close April 30, 2026. Application process, selection funnel, pitch tips, and insider advice from a founder who placed 6th at Season 12.
Shubham Gupta
COO & Co-founder at Nimit AI
Founder PlaybookArchit and I had never been on a flight before Innopreneurs Season 12. Two days later we were on stage in front of 400 people at RTMNU Nagpur, pitching Nimitai to a panel of VCs and judges.
Shubham Gupta
COO & Co-founder at Nimit AI
