The Avendus Wealth-Hurun India U30 List 2026 has identified 102 entrepreneurs under the age of 30, a 28% increase from last year's 80, with their companies collectively valued at Rs 2.9 lakh crore. The report highlights a significant shift towards DeepTech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), SpaceTech, electric mobility, and FinTech, with India's youngest founders increasingly addressing complex global challenges.
Top Young Entrepreneurs Leading the List
Among the standout names are the 10 youngest entrepreneurs on the list, all aged 24 or below, representing sectors from AI and aerospace to healthcare, e-commerce, and retail. Topping the list are Onkar Singh Batra (20), founder of Apolink, a Palo Alto-based SpaceTech startup building broadband infrastructure for low-Earth orbit satellites, and Dhravya Shah (20), founder of AI startup Supermemory, which develops tools to help users organize and retrieve digital knowledge efficiently.
The list also includes Naman Pushp (21), co-founder of Airbound, which develops autonomous drones for medical and mid-mile deliveries, and Aadit Palicha (23) and Kaivalya Vohra (23), co-founders of quick-commerce giant Zepto, now India's most-funded U30 startup with USD 2.3 billion raised to date.
Other Notable Young Achievers
Other young achievers include Siva Arul Durai Suraj Kannaa (23) of Saravana Stores Elite, Shreya Mittal (23), co-founder of women's activewear brand Cava Athleisure, Anjali Sardana (23), founder of home services platform Pronto, AVR Shree Smaran (23) of AVR Swarna Mahal Jewellers, and Arjun Deshpande (24), founder of Generic Aadhaar, a pharmacy chain focused on affordable generic medicines.
Broader Trends in India's Startup Ecosystem
The report reflects broader changes in India's startup ecosystem. AI and Machine Learning has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors, while DeepTech and HardTech account for one in four entrepreneurs on the list. Bengaluru leads with the highest number of U30 founders, and first-generation entrepreneurs make up 84% of the cohort, highlighting the rise of self-made business leaders. Collectively, the entrepreneurs on the list employ over 75,000 people, reinforcing the growing economic impact of India's young innovators.
