Startup grants & funding schemes in India

The Green Energy & Climate Action Challenge is launched under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge to accelerate innovative solutions that support Bharat's green and sustainable transition. The initiative focuses on transforming ideas into scalable solutions across renewable and decentralized energy, waste-to-energy and circular technologies, and energy storage, carbon, and ESG technology. The challenge aims to address critical gaps in clean energy access, circular economy adoption, and climate

The Hair & Beauty Innovation Challenge is a thematic challenge under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge, focused on redefining the future of personalized beauty innovation in India. The program invites startups and innovators developing solutions across beauty biotechnology, dermatology, organic and sustainable beauty products, and salon-tech platforms. The challenge aims to address gaps in scalp care, hair regrowth, product safety, personalization, and digital beauty experiences. Selected

BluePrint is a national startup funding and incubation platform designed to support founders from the ideation stage through Series A readiness. Launched as a flagship initiative under Synapse 2026, the annual management fest of N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, the program is built to help founders develop ventures with clarity, credibility, and long-term scalability. The initiative is powered by Venture Catalysts++, India's first integrated multi-stage venture

The DDWS Innovation Challenge 2025, 26 is a national-level innovation initiative launched by the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, in collaboration with IIT Madras. The program aims to identify, support, and scale innovative technological solutions addressing critical challenges in drinking water quality and sanitation across India, with a strong focus on rural and decentralized contexts. The challenge is structured around two

The DST NIDHI i-TBI Ignition Grant 2.0 is an early-stage startup support program implemented at CSVTU Foundation for Rural Technology and Entrepreneurship (CSVTU-FORTE) under the Department of Science and Technology's NIDHI i-TBI initiative. The program aims to encourage innovation-led entrepreneurship by supporting innovative ideas and early-stage startups, particularly from Chhattisgarh. Selected applicants receive Ignition Grant support along with incubation benefits such as co-working

For Indian conservation organisations working on lesser-known species and critical habitats

This initiative is designed to support Scheduled Tribe innovators who are building innovative and technology-driven business ideas with strong commercial potential. The program focuses on nurturing early-stage startups by providing equity-based financial support rather than loans, enabling founders to concentrate on product development and market validation without immediate repayment pressure. The scheme aims to empower young innovators, students, and early entrepreneurs from the Scheduled

PropelX 2.0 is a flagship startup support initiative by the Technology Business Incubator Foundation at IIT Ropar, aimed at nurturing visionary founders, researchers, and innovators working on cutting-edge technologies. The program is designed to help early-stage startups transform bold ideas into scalable and high-impact ventures by providing a structured incubation environment. Selected startups gain access to expert mentorship, advanced R&D laboratories, and strong technical infrastructure

The Bosch-BMU Innovation Challenge is a 16-week innovation and prototyping program aimed at fostering solutions for safe, inclusive, and sustainable mobility. The program seeks to identify and support startups, innovators, and researchers working on impactful and scalable mobility solutions that reduce environmental impact, enhance road safety, and improve accessibility. Key focus areas include connectivity, synthetic fuels and clean technologies, electrification, innovative brake systems

WE START is a structured 3-month pre-incubation program by Kerala Startup Mission designed exclusively for women-led startups and aspiring women entrepreneurs. The program focuses on supporting founders in converting innovative ideas into functional MVPs through structured learning, expert mentorship, and practical guidance. Participants gain access to workshops, industry insights, and resources covering the entire early-stage startup journey, from ideation to market readiness. The

V-FUND 6.0, Women 2026 is the sixth edition of the flagship accelerator and seed funding initiative by VELS Innovation Council (VIC), aimed at empowering early-stage women entrepreneurs. The program focuses on strengthening women-led startups by providing seed funding, structured incubation, and capacity-building support. It offers a platform for women founders to gain visibility, mentorship, and institutional backing to scale innovative and viable business ideas. Selected startups receive

Tamil Nadu Hardware Accelerator for Prototype and Product (TN-HAPP), branded as iAccelerate 4.0, is a 12-week intensive and structured hybrid accelerator programme designed to help hardware startups in Tamil Nadu move from concept stage to production-ready products. The program is implemented by Tamil Nadu Technology Hub (iTNT Hub) and focuses on providing government-subsidized access to professional design, prototyping, and manufacturing ecosystem support. Selected startups are onboarded