DST-iTBI NIT Agartala Call for Incubation & Ignition Grant

• Equity-free Ignition Grant of Rs. 2, 5 lakh
• Up to 20 startups incubated; up to 10 receive ignition grants
• Co-working space, mentorship, training & infrastructure access
• Minimum 6-month incubation program (benefits up to 3 years)
• For startups <2 years old with turnover under Rs. 25 lakh
• Applications open 15 May , 30 June 2026

About this scheme

## DST-iTBI NIT Agartala , Call for Incubation & Ignition Grant

**NITA-FIIE** (NIT Agartala Foundation for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship) invites early-stage startups to apply for incubation support and an **Ignition Grant of Rs. 2, 5 lakh** at the **DST-iTBI Incubation Centre, NIT Agartala** (Tripura).

The objective is to help startups and innovators **raise their Technology Readiness Level (TRL)** and secure follow-on funding. The application portal is open **15 May 2026 to 30 June 2026**.

### What you get
- **Equity-free Ignition Grant of Rs. 2, 5 lakh**
- Co-working space, mentorship, training, and infrastructure access
- A minimum **6-month incubation program**
- Fundraising support and investor connects via the DST-iTBI centre
- Registered startups can avail incubation benefits for **up to 3 years**

### Who should apply
Early-stage startups **less than 2 years old**, with **annual turnover under Rs. 25 lakh** in every financial year since inception, whose product **has not yet crossed the prototype level**. The focus is hardware, deeptech, and innovation-driven domains.

> **Not eligible:** Pure software development, e-commerce, app-based and service-only solutions; products that have already crossed the prototype level; and proposals purely for research or student internships.

Who can apply

• Early-stage startups less than 2 years old, with annual turnover under Rs.
• 25 lakh in every financial year since inception, whose product has not yet crossed the prototype level.
• The program focuses on hardware, deeptech and innovation domains.
• Pure software development, e-commerce, app-based and service-only startups are not eligible.
• If any founder/co-founder has already availed a similar grant (NIDHI PRAYAS, NIDHI SSP, etc.), the final decision rests with the incubation centre.

Benefits & funding

• Selected startups receive an **equity-free Ignition Grant of Rs. 2, 5 lakh** (minimum Rs. 2 lakh, maximum Rs. 5 lakh) to advance their product. Beyond the grant, incubated startups get co-working space, structured mentorship, training, and access to NIT Agartala's infrastructure, plus fundraising support through the DST-iTBI centre. Registered startups can avail incubation benefits for up to 3 years.
• The grant cannot be used to pay the grantee or relatives, repay existing loans or commitments, pay rent or build movable/permanent infrastructure, fund pure research or student internships, or serve as a stop-gap for other professional pursuits.*

How the application process works

The journey below is informational, compiled from the official program guidelines. Applications are submitted directly with NITA-FIIE, NIT Agartala, in your own name.

1. 1

   Selection follows a three-stage process: (1) Primary screening of applications; (2) a minimum 6-month incubation program , up to 20 startups are admitted to incubation; (3) final ignition-grant selection after ~3 months, where up to 10 startups receive ignition support based on merit and satisfactory progress.

Frequently asked questions