Mumbai, Oct 19: Marking the second year of partnership, Avendus Wealth and Hurun India present the 2026 edition of the Avendus Wealth – Hurun India Uth Series, with the U35 List recognising 180 young leaders building and scaling businesses across India. Now in its second edition, the list has grown 16% from 155 entrepreneurs in 2025, reflecting the expanding cohort of young business leaders making their mark across the country.
Umang Papneja, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO, Avendus Wealth Management, said,
“The decisions that shape a business rarely begin or end with the business itself. How entrepreneurs allocate capital, pursue growth and manage risk has implications for their investments, families and the legacy they build. The U35 List offers a compelling view of the people making these decisions and the ambition shaping India’s next phase of growth.
This year’s cohort has grown 16% to 180 entrepreneurs, with a combined valuation of INR 48 lakh crore, up 23% from last year. With 71% first-generation entrepreneurs and the number of founders in AI and Machine Learning growing fourfold, from 3 to 12, the list reflects the breadth of enterprise creation underway in India.
At Avendus, we work closely with entrepreneurs through the lifecycle of their businesses, from raising growth capital and accessing financial markets to managing and transitioning wealth across generations. At Avendus Wealth, we take a multidimensional approach, recognising that wealth extends beyond investments to encompass business interests, family priorities and the aspirations of successive generations. Understanding how this next generation approaches capital, growth and wealth creation will be increasingly important as these entrepreneurs shape the future of Indian enterprise.”
Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder & Chief Researcher, Hurun India, said,
“The Avendus Wealth Hurun India U35 List 2026 puts a number to the economic weight of young entrepreneurship: 180 leaders whose businesses employ over 5.88 lakh people, including 37 companies valued at more than USD 1 billion.”
“The composition is equally revealing. First-generation founders account for 71% of the cohort, while 53 next-generation leaders are renewing established businesses. India’s entrepreneurial capacity is expanding through both new enterprise creation and the transformation of family businesses.”
“AI and machine-learning entrants have risen fourfold, alongside founders building in space, defence and manufacturing. This points to an ambition to own technology and products, serve international markets and capture more of the value they create.”
“The U30 list tells us where businesses begin; the U35 list shows how far they can grow. The next economic test is whether that scale delivers sustained productivity, profitable growth and skilled employment. This cohort gives India a substantial foundation to build on.”
“We thank Avendus Wealth for its continued partnership in recognising the entrepreneurs shaping India’s economic future,” concluded Anas Rahman Junaid.
