Recognising Industry Stalwarts Across Industries
NOMINATE NOW
Celebrating the People & Institutions Building Tomorrow
Innovation begins with an idea, but meaningful innovation is built through creativity, research, execution, leadership, and perseverance. The Innovators Conclave Awards 2026 recognize those turning ideas into ground-breaking achievements.
Student Innovators
Outstanding students demonstrating exceptional creativity, problem-solving, and technology solutions.
Young Innovators
Researchers, inventors, and young technology professionals pushing boundaries.
Entrepreneurs & Startups
High-potential startups and founders building scalable solutions and impactful ventures.
Universities & Colleges
Educational institutions establishing vibrant ecosystems for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Academic Leaders
Vice-Chancellors, Directors, Deans, Principals, and HODs driving institutional transformation.
Incubation & Research Labs
Incubators, research centers, and industry-academia collaborations creating measurable impact.
The Award Categories
Explore our 15 merit-driven recognition categories across Student Innovation, Startups, and Academic Leadership. Click any category to expand details.
Recognising an outstanding student who has demonstrated exceptional innovation, creativity and problem-solving through a project, invention, research initiative or technology solution.
Students with a demonstrated innovation journey, project, invention, prototype or research achievement.
Fee Structure & Inclusions
Clear, transparent nomination fees with complimentary conference delegate access included for startup and institutional categories.
Student & Youth
Student Innovator of the Year, Excellence in Student Innovation, Young Innovator of the Year.
- Self-Nomination or Third-Party Nomination
- Jury evaluation & shortlisting consideration
- Complimentary IC2026 conference access for selected Award Winners
Startup & Founder
Startup of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year.
- Award nomination & full jury evaluation
- Shortlisting & finalist consideration
- 2 VIP Conference Passes Included (Full Access)
Academic & Leader
Institutional Excellence, University/College Innovation, Leader of the Year, Incubation, Industry-Academia.
- Award nomination & institutional evaluation
- Shortlisting & finalist consideration
- 2 VIP Conference Passes Included (Full Access)
The Innovators Conclave Awards are recognition-based and merit-driven. Nomination does not guarantee shortlisting or winning. The ₹10,000 + GST fee is non-refundable once the nomination has been accepted for evaluation. Student nominations are completely free.
Who Can Nominate?
Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are officially accepted across all 15 award categories.
Self-Nomination
Individuals and organisations may nominate themselves for an appropriate award category.
- A student may nominate themselves.
- A young innovator may nominate themselves.
- A startup may nominate itself.
- An entrepreneur may nominate themselves.
- A university or college may nominate itself.
- An academic leader may nominate themselves.
- An incubation or innovation centre may nominate itself.
Third-Party Nomination
Individuals and organisations may nominate another deserving individual, institution, startup or initiative.
- Faculty members may nominate students.
- Students may nominate academic leaders.
- Institutions may nominate faculty members.
- Industry professionals may nominate entrepreneurs or startups.
- Academic leaders may nominate their institutions.
- Mentors may nominate innovators or entrepreneurs.
What Makes a Strong Nomination?
A strong nomination makes it easy for the Awards Secretariat and Jury to understand what was achieved, why it is innovative, and what evidence supports it.
Clearly Define the Achievement
Explain the most significant achievement of the nominee clearly.
Explain the Innovation
Clearly describe what is new, distinctive or innovative about the work.
Demonstrate the Work
Show what has actually been developed, implemented, researched or achieved.
Provide Evidence
Support important claims with relevant documents, links, results, or milestones.
Highlight Significance
Explain the tangible value or broad importance of the achievement.
Demonstrate Future Potential
Explain how the work can be further developed, adopted, scaled or expanded.
Evidence-Based Evaluation Framework
All nominations undergo impartial, evidence-backed assessment by independent jury panels established for each respective award category.
Acceptable Supporting Evidence
Supporting material must be relevant, authentic, specific, and current.
Jury Assessment Parameters
Jury scoring weights are customized to each specific category:
Uniqueness, creativity and innovative nature of the work.
Tangible outcomes, milestones and achievements demonstrated.
How effectively the idea has been developed or implemented.
R&D quality, technical sophistication and applied methodology.
Visionary leadership and ability to drive meaningful progress.
Potential for further development, adoption, growth or scale.
The Nomination Process
From online submission to the grand awards ceremony at JNTUA, Ananthapuramu.
Online Nomination
Submit the official Innovators Conclave Awards 2026 nomination form with profile and evidence.
Eligibility Screening
The Secretariat reviews submissions for category eligibility, completeness, and documentation.
Jury Assessment
Independent evaluation by the Awards Jury panel using category-specific criteria.
Shortlisting
Up to 5 top-performing nominees are shortlisted as finalists per category.
Final Evaluation
Shortlisted finalists undergo final jury panel review and scoring.
Verification
Verification and validation of supporting documentation by the Secretariat.
Winner Selection
Final winners determined based on approved framework, evidence, and Jury scores.
Awards Ceremony
FelicitationOfficial felicitation ceremony at Innovators Conclave 2026, JNTUA on 24–25 Oct 2026.
Official Nomination Rules
Essential guidelines governing submissions, category eligibility, verification, and evaluation.
Eligibility
Nominees must meet the eligibility requirements applicable to the selected category.
Accurate Information
All information submitted must be accurate, complete and capable of official verification.
Appropriate Category
Nominations should be submitted under the category that best represents the achievement.
Supporting Evidence
Nominees may be required to provide supporting documents or additional info during assessment.
Self & Third-Party
Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are officially accepted.
Multiple Categories
A nominee may be considered for more than one category where relevant with separate entries.
Verification
The Awards Secretariat may contact nominees or nominators for clarification or verification.
Category Reassignment
Where appropriate, the Secretariat may recommend moving a nomination to a more suitable category.
Incomplete Submissions
Incomplete, misleading or unverifiable submissions may not be considered.
Nomination Deadline
All nominations must be submitted before the officially announced closing date.
Confidentiality
Jury deliberations and individual jury assessments will remain strictly confidential.
Final Decision
The decision of the Innovators Conclave Awards Jury shall be final and binding.
Your Work. Your Innovation.
Your Recognition.
Whether you are a student innovator, young researcher, founder, startup, academic leader, university, college, or incubation centre, put forward your achievements for national recognition at Innovators Conclave Awards 2026.
15 Categories • Multiple Finalists • One National Recognition Platform
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