Looking for your next job? Zepto leads LinkedIn's 2026 top startups list; check the full ranking

Quick-commerce company Zepto has retained the top position in LinkedIn’s 2026 Top Startups India list for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting its continued presence among the country’s emerging businesses attracting professional interest and talent.

Released on October 14, the annual ranking identifies companies where professionals may find promising career opportunities. The list is based on LinkedIn data measuring employment growth, engagement, job interest and the ability to attract talent from leading companies.

Professional networking platform topmate.io secured the second position, followed by Matiks at number three. Figuring Out Media & Education ranked fourth, while Zetheta Algorithms Private Limited took the fifth spot.

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This year’s list reflects a changing startup landscape, with four of the top five companies making their debut in the ranking. Overall, 13 new companies entered the top 20, indicating growing momentum across different segments of India’s startup ecosystem.

Quick commerce and AI gain prominence

Quick commerce and on-demand services remain prominent themes in the 2026 ranking. Snabbit, an on-demand house-help platform, secured the sixth position, improving from 14th place last year. Food and grocery delivery platforms Swish and FirstClub ranked 11th and 16th, respectively.

Artificial intelligence is another major theme, with six of the 20 startups offering AI services at their core. These include Sarvam, which ranked ninth, AI-driven hiring platform Weekday at eighth place, and Zetheta Algorithms at fifth.

The ranking also features companies operating in education, content, financial services, healthcare and consumer businesses, including Bhanzu, Scapia, Immunoscript Life Science, PALMONAS and Akasa Air.

Full list of LinkedIn Top Startups India 2026

1. Zepto
2. topmate.io
3. Matiks
4. Figuring Out Media & Education
5. Zetheta Algorithms Private Limited
6. Snabbit
7. Emergent
8. Weekday (YC W21)
9. Sarvam
10. PALMONAS
11. Swish
12. Pronto
13. GoodSpace AI
14. Lucidity
15. Immunoscript Life Science
16. FirstClub
17. Arrowhead
18. Bhanzu
19. Scapia
20. Akasa Air

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How LinkedIn ranks startups

LinkedIn evaluates eligible startups across four parameters: employment growth, engagement, job interest and attraction of top talent. The methodology covers July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

LinkedIn shares tips for jobseekers

LinkedIn said professional networks can play an important role in career development, particularly at smaller companies. According to its latest data, 94% of professionals working at companies with 10–49 employees consider their professional networks important for navigating their careers. Meanwhile, 35% said a connection had helped their career, while 29% had learnt about a job or new opportunity through their network.