Industry experts can evaluate innovation, growth and business performance. Public recognition, however, reflects something equally valuable: trust.At the inaugural edition of the One of a Kind Awards, presented by The Economic Times and Cashfree Payments, this trust was recognised through the People’s Choice Award category. The honour was presented at the grand reveal and felicitation ceremony held on August 21, 2026, at Novotel, Bengaluru.The ceremony brought together founders, investors, entrepreneurs and ecosystem leaders to celebrate the inaugural 2026 cohort of startups building new products, markets and customer behaviours.In the People’s Choice category, Pokonut was named the winner, while FemiSafe and E42.ai were awarded first runner-up and second runner-up, respectively.Unlike the other categories, which were assessed through a structured expert evaluation process, the People’s Choice Award reflected public participation. It recognised the startup that captured the imagination and confidence of customers, users and supporters across the wider ecosystem.Building more than a customer basePokonut was recognised for creating accessible, modern Ayurvedic skincare, haircare and personal-care products for Indian consumers. Its range includes skincare products, soaps, stretch-mark creams and Ayurvedic baby and mother-care products, combining natural ingredients with contemporary formulations.FemiSafe was recognised for developing women’s personal-care and hygiene products while working to make conversations around menstruation and intimate health more accessible. Its range includes menstrual cups, sterilisers, disposable period products, intimate washes, razors, aloe gel and underarm sweat pads. Alongside direct product sales, the company claims to use educational and community-oriented messaging to encourage safer and more informed personal-care choices.E42.ai was recognised for developing a no-code cognitive process-automation platform that enables enterprises to build AI co-workers for complex tasks. Its natural-language-processing (NLP) and AI capabilities support functions such as human resources, customer service, finance, marketing and IT operations.When customers become advocatesUnlike the other categories, which were assessed through a structured expert evaluation process, the People’s Choice Award reflected public participation. It recognised the startup that captured the imagination and confidence of customers, users and supporters across the wider ecosystem.The People’s Choice voting process was open to public participation through the awards microsite.In an increasingly connected marketplace, community trust can become a powerful driver of growth. Customers are not only recipients of a product or service; they can also become advocates who recommend a brand, share their experiences and help a company reach audiences beyond traditional marketing channels.For early-stage companies, this kind of support can be particularly important. Before a startup has the scale or visibility of an established business, goodwill can help it build credibility, attract new users and receive feedback that informs future decisions.Turning community support into capacity For winners and runners-up, the One of a Kind Awards - for early stage startups initiative creates an ecosystem of continued support designed to help early-stage companies strengthen visibility, access and execution. National feature stories and brand spotlights across ET and Cashfree digital platforms can help brands reach customers, partners, talent and investors beyond their immediate networks.The benefits include national exposure through feature stories and brand spotlights across The Economic Times and Cashfree digital platforms, as well as access to a network of investors, founders and builders through the Awards Night ecosystem.Winners also gain access to Cashfree Payments’ infrastructure, including exclusive credits that support brands in their growth journey with advanced payment solutions for internet-first businesses. This support can help companies manage and expand essential functions such as payment collection, settlements, international payments and identity verification as their operations develop.Why the awards matterMany promising startups build strong communities before they gain national visibility. The One of a Kind Awards - for early stage startups helps close that gap by bringing early-stage companies into the spotlight at a moment when recognition can still influence their trajectory.Presented by The Economic Times and Cashfree Payments, the initiative identifies startups before they become widely recognised and connects them to the resources, infrastructure and relationships needed to build durable value.The People’s Choice Award adds an important dimension to that mission. It acknowledges that the ecosystem is not shaped only by experts and institutions, but also by the users, customers and communities who decide which ideas matter to them.