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In the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021, India was ranked 46th among 132 economies. The last few years have seen the country steadily climb up the rankings; in 2015 India was ranked 81st. Prime Minister Narendra Modi credited startups for being instrumental in driving innovation in the country.

In the last decade, the domestic startup ecosystem played an important role in addressing some of the pressing problems in the country and also evolved as a major job creator. The growth of India’s startup ecosystem, digital adoption and transformation has seen the country transform itself into an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The next wave of growth

India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has perhaps never been a better place than it is today, yet there is still so much more that can be achieved. Experts say as the growth accelerates, there will be two areas that will need attention. One, it will be critical for startups and small and medium businesses to hit scale. Two, the startup culture needs to percolate to the grassroots. And, this will help the startup ecosystem to further contribute to the nation’s progress.

It is here that a platform like Amazon Smbhav is increasingly becoming relevant. The two-day summit brings policymakers, industry leaders, solution providers, startups, and Amazon leadership together to deep-dive into topics such as small business digitisation, exports and startup enablement, innovation, skills development, and job creation. A key highlight of the summit is the Amazon Smbhav Awards that aim to celebrate the spirit of businesses and individuals who have excelled across sectors.

In 2021, the second edition of Amazon Smbhav brought recognition to the success stories of startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses, which otherwise would have gone unnoticed. This included startups and small businesses like Skillmatics, HealthSetGo, Naturevibe Botanicals, NWDCo Software Solutions, among others.

Amazon Smbhav Awards 2022

This year, in its third edition, with the theme of ‘Pragati’, the Amazon Smbhav Awards 2022 aims to celebrate the spirit of businesses, local sellers, home entrepreneurs, associates, and individuals who have excelled across sectors. It also seeks to recognise the efforts of those who have contributed towards empowering small businesses, thereby contributing to the “pragati” of India.

The categories for nominations reflect key growth pillars for a small business like digitisation, startup enablement, innovation, skilling and job creation, and exports that will support a self-reliant India.

Award categories

If you own or know of any businesses that have showcased resilience and business excellence in recent years, apply or recommend such businesses to apply for Amazon Smbhav Awards 2022 for the categories below.

Criteria for applications

• Applicants must have incorporated their business in India and should demonstrate a strong growth performance in sales and business profit over the recent years.
• The nominees will also be evaluated on the basis of their knowledge, skills, competencies, and attributes for the creation of personal, social and economic well-being.
• Businesses that have digitized by tech or innovation, thereby contributing to making a self-reliant India.
• Business excellence through top quality customer service, special initiatives for the environment or community at large, among others.

How it works

Companies can nominate themselves by filling the form. Finalist selection will be done on the basis of selection criteria. The winners will be chosen after a thorough evaluation process by a knowledge partner and announced during the Amazon Smbhav Summit on May 19, 2022.

Apply for Amazon Smbhav Awards 2022. Last date to apply is April 22.