ET Startup Awards 2026 | Comeback Kid: Mukund Jha returns stronger with AI bet
Emergent cofounder Mukund Jha has won the Comeback Kid award at the ET Startup Awards 2026, marking a return after the collapse of Dunzo. The jury recognised his second act with AI startup Emergent, which recently raised $230 million at a $1.5 billion valuation and built more than 12 million applications through its AI-powered platform.
Mukund Jha, the co-founder and former chief technology officer of Dunzo, has been hailed as a comeback kid in the 2026 ET Startup Awards. Jha's journey from Dunzo to Emergent, an AI-powered platform for building web and mobile applications, showcases his resilience and ambition in the face of setbacks. Dunzo, once a prominent hyperlocal delivery startup, faced challenges including delayed salaries, job cuts, and a failed funding cycle.
Despite these hurdles, Jha's efforts at Emergent, which has raised $130 million at a $1.5 billion valuation and reported a $120-million annualized revenue run-rate, make him a standout candidate in the Comeback Kid category. Jha's success story is a reminder to entrepreneurs that one big success can overshadow past failures, and that taking bold risks can lead to significant achievements.
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