The One of a Kind Startup Awards 2026, an initiative by Cashfree Payments in collaboration with The Economic Times, has put AI-first innovation firmly in the spotlight, recognizing early-stage startups that are fundamentally rethinking how problems are solved across healthcare, fintech, education, and sustainability sectors .

Hyderabad-based spacetech startup Skyroot Aerospace has officially entered the unicorn club, raising $60 million at a $1.1 billion valuation. The round was co-led by Sherpalo Ventures—the venture firm of early Google backer Ram Shriram—and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC .