FundingFunding opportunities up to ₹10 Lakh through ACIC-VGU schemes
Equity-free Idea AI, SaaS & Enterprise
ClosesAug 15, 2026
Closed Grant Equity-free
Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship CoE at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
Equity-free AI incubation at SIIC, IIT Kanpur under UP's Start in UP scheme, offering free Noida co-working, GPUs, and IIT mentorship.
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About this scheme
The AIIDE Centre of Excellence, short for Artificial Intelligence and Innovation-Driven Entrepreneurship, sits within the Government of Uttar Pradesh's Start in UP scheme and is operated by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur alongside FICCI. It exists to back ventures building in artificial intelligence and machine learning, information and communication technology, the internet of things, cybersecurity, and adjacent fields, and to help promising ideas mature into market-ready companies. Across its first four cohorts the centre has supported more than 130 startups.
Rather than a cash grant, the programme provides in-kind, equity-free support. Selected teams get free desk space at the 16,000 sq ft AIIDE CoE facility in Noida, access to IIT Kanpur's mentor pool and alumni, focused AI training led by industry and business experts, and research-and-development facilities with IP support at both IIT Kanpur and Noida, including current labs and infrastructure on the IIT Kanpur campus. The centre also supplies GPU and high-performance computing capacity and runs Demo Day and networking sessions that connect founders with investors, industry, and markets. Applications for Cohort 5 were submitted at connect.siicincubator.com (queries go to aiidecoe@iitkfirst.com) and closed on 30 November 2025.
Who can apply
- The startup must hold DPIIT recognition from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
- It must also be registered under Uttar Pradesh's Start in UP scheme.
- Its core work should centre on artificial intelligence and machine learning, or it should be actively building AI and ML into its main product.
- Teams in fields such as MedTech, AgriTech, EdTech, FinTech, CleanTech, Defence, and IoT that are layering in AI and ML are explicitly encouraged to apply.
Official application
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Applications are submitted directly with SIIC IIT Kanpur, in your own name. Share a few details and we will point you to the official application portal and help you prepare a complete submission.
Here is the official application link
Apply in your own name with SIIC IIT Kanpur. Want a second pair of eyes before you submit? An IncorpX advisor can help you prepare.
Open the official applicationFrequently asked questions
Does AIIDE give a cash grant?
No. The Centre of Excellence offers equity-free, in-kind support rather than a cash grant, including free co-working space in Noida, mentorship, AI training, IP support, and GPU and high-performance computing access.
Who is eligible to apply to the AIIDE CoE?
Applicants must hold DPIIT recognition and be registered under the Start in UP scheme, and they should be working primarily in AI and ML or integrating it into their core product. Teams across MedTech, AgriTech, FinTech, Defence, IoT, and similar sectors are welcome.
Who runs the AIIDE Centre of Excellence?
It is an initiative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh's Start in UP scheme, managed by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre at IIT Kanpur in collaboration with FICCI.
Was Cohort 5 open for applications?
Cohort 5 applications were made through connect.siicincubator.com and closed on 30 November 2025. Founders should watch the same portal for future cohorts.
Important disclaimer
IncorpX is a private platform operated by a private company. It is not a government department, agency or official portal, and it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government body or of any organisation, incubator, accelerator, investor or partner listed in this directory. All program names, logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification only.
This directory is compiled from publicly available official sources and is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal, financial, tax or professional advice. Funding amounts, eligibility criteria, required documents, deadlines and availability are determined by each program authority and change with every cycle, so the details shown here may be incomplete or out of date. Always confirm the current terms on the official program source before you apply or take any decision.
IncorpX charges no fee for the information in this directory and does not collect, process, lodge or submit any application on your behalf. Applications are made by you, in your own name, directly with the respective program authority. IncorpX provides assistance only for application preparation and for related registrations such as company incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MSME (Udyam) and GST. Eligibility, approval, disbursement and selection rest solely with the respective program authority, and IncorpX makes no representation or guarantee as to any outcome.
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