SMT. Raj Kumari Jain Seed Fund for Innovation at PIEDS BITS Pilani

• Seed funding Rs. 30 lakh , Rs. 50 lakh
• For startups with a BITS Pilani student or recent alumnus (within 5 years of graduation) as co-founder
• Focus: Applied AI, DeepTech, ClimateTech, Industry 4.0
• Combination of non-matching and matching funding (encourages co-investment)
• PIEDS incubation, mentorship and BITS ecosystem access

About this scheme

The SMT. Raj Kumari Jain Seed Fund for Innovation is an early-stage seed funding initiative by the Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS), BITS Pilani.
The program is designed to support high-potential, innovation-driven startups founded by BITS Pilani students or recent alumni.

The fund aims to help startups validate ideas, build prototypes, develop minimum viable products, and accelerate early commercialization.
Selected startups receive strong institutional backing along with financial support to scale innovation-led ventures.

The fund offers a combination of non-matching and matching funding, encouraging startups to also attract external investors.

Who can apply

• At least one co-founder must be a current BITS Pilani student or an alumnus who graduated within the last 5 years.
• The startup must be registered as a Private Limited Company.
• The startup should not have received prior funding from PIEDS.
• The startup should be working in one of the target sectors defined under the program.

Eligible entity types: Private Limited

Benefits & funding

• 30, 50 lakh combining non-matching and matching capital to help founders validate ideas, build prototypes, and develop MVPs.
• Selected startups also receive institutional backing from PIEDS, mentorship, co-working space, networking access, and incubation support.

How the application process works

The journey below is informational, compiled from the official program guidelines. Applications are submitted directly with PIEDS, in your own name.

1. 1

   Applications from BITS Pilani students and recent alumni are evaluated by PIEDS on innovation quality, team strength, and commercial potential.

2. 2

   Applicants must be incorporated as a Private Limited Company and not have received prior PIEDS funding.

3. 3

   Finalists are selected through an institutional review process run by PIEDS.

Documents checklist 5

• Certificate of Incorporation
• BITS Pilani Founder / Alumni Affiliation Proof
• Pitch Deck
• Founder KYC (PAN/Aadhaar)
• Founders' Equity Structure / Shareholding Pattern

Need help getting these in order? IncorpX provides assistance for incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MSME and GST registrations along with document preparation.

Frequently asked questions