11 Startup Grants and Seed Funds Closing This Week (20-27 October 2026)

Indian startup founders can explore 11 active startup grants, seed funds, incubation programs, and competitions with deadlines approaching between 20-27 October 2026. These opportunities span various sectors, offering crucial support for innovation and growth.

The programs available include government grants, institutional seed funds, and startup competitions from prominent organizations such as TIH IIT Bombay, AIC-Pinnacle Entrepreneurship Forum, BIRAC, Startup Karnataka, Kongu Engineering College, STPI, C-CAMP, Amazon, Hyundai, and IEEE.

At a Glance

TDP Call for Proposal 2026 (TIH IIT Bombay) Closes 20 October

The TDP Call for Proposal 2026 (10) from the Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Bombay (TIH-IoT) supports the commercialization of cutting-edge IoT and IoE technologies. This specific call invites innovative proposals from Scheduled Tribe (ST) faculty, researchers, startup employees, and institutions across India that employ ST staff.

The initiative aims to drive the development, deployment, and advancement of application-oriented IoT technologies that deliver substantial benefits to Scheduled Tribe communities nationwide. Selected projects can receive funding of up to ₹25,00,000 to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application.

EVOLVE 4.0 Incubation Program (AIC-Pinnacle Entrepreneurship Forum) Closes 20 October

The EVOLVE 4.0 Incubation Program is offered by AIC-Pinnacle Entrepreneurship Forum in collaboration with NATRAX – National Automotive Test Tracks. This program is designed to accelerate startups shaping Indian mobility and electric transportation.

The cohort supports ventures from MVP to commercialization across various sectors, including EV & mobility, components & battery technology, telematics & connected mobility, shared & smart mobility, aerial mobility, automotive technology, mobility software & digital solutions, and allied emerging technologies. Selected startups (up to 20) gain access to mentoring, product development and testing support, industry and market connections, investor connect, funding support, and national and international exposure.

BIRAC-PATH Patent Facilitation (BIRAC) Closes 21 October

The BIRAC-PATH (Patenting and Technology Transfer for Harnessing Innovations) programme from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) provides end-to-end support for protecting valuable biotech innovations, both within India and internationally. This initiative empowers innovators by easing the financial and procedural burden of securing intellectual property rights, a critical step for commercialization and market entry.

BIRAC-PATH offers strategic guidance and leverages empaneled IP and Technology Transfer firms to ensure promising innovations receive robust IP protection. The scope of support covers various stages of intellectual property protection.

IEEEXtreme 20.0 Global Programming Competition 2026 (IEEE) Closes 21 October

IEEEXtreme 20.0 is a global 24-hour online programming competition organized by IEEE. Student teams from around the world compete in real-time to solve a series of challenging coding problems, testing their algorithmic skills, teamwork, and endurance.

The competition runs for 24 continuous hours on October 21, 2026. It is open to IEEE student members and non-member students worldwide, with teams of up to 3 members. The total prize pool is valued at up to ₹9,20,000.

Karnataka Government First Initiative (Startup Karnataka) Closes 23 October

The Karnataka Government First Initiative, launched by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, aims to foster innovation by providing startups with unique market access opportunities within the government ecosystem. This program invites startups with innovative, deployment-ready solutions to directly engage with various Government Departments, Boards, and Corporations to address public problem statements.

By potentially serving as a first customer, the Government of Karnataka offers a significant opportunity for startups to pilot, test, and validate their solutions in a real-world operational environment. This merit-based evaluation process identifies and adopts promising technologies, with support of up to ₹25,00,000.

Build, Ship, Shape – Amazon Developer Hackathon 2026 (Amazon) Closes 23 October

The Build, Ship, Shape Hackathon 2026 is a global event hosted by Amazon Developer, inviting innovators and developers worldwide to create groundbreaking applications for Amazon's diverse device ecosystem. This hackathon fosters creativity and technical excellence in developing solutions for Fire TV, Alexa+, Bee wearable AI, and Ring devices.

Participants have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what's possible with Amazon's developer tools and platforms. This online-only event supports both individual developers and teams, providing a platform to showcase skills, gain recognition, and receive valuable feedback from industry experts. Prizes are available up to ₹23,00,000.

Hyundai CoE Mobility Innovation Ideathon 2026 (Hyundai Motor India Engineering) Closes 23 October

The Hyundai CoE Mobility Innovation Ideathon 2026 is run by Hyundai Motor India Engineering Pvt. Ltd. under the Hyundai Center of Excellence. The theme is "Enhanced In-Vehicle Experience," focusing on ideas that make time in the car more useful, enjoyable, comfortable, and personal for Indian customers in future vehicles where AI, UX, software-defined vehicles (SDV), digital content, and personalization converge.

Students select one of four challenge topics and one of two tracks (Experience & Scenario or Technology & Prototype). Member universities first select submissions before a national round. Prizes are available up to ₹4,00,000.

Pitch 2Konnect – KonguTBI × KVB Prototype-to-Market Grant (Kongu Engineering College) Closes 25 October

Pitch 2Konnect offers a pre-seed grant of up to ₹20,00,000 for early-stage climate and sustainability tech startups in South India. KonguTBI (TBI@KEC, Kongu Engineering College) operates this program with Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) through its CSR efforts. It targets startups with a prototype or product ready for commercialization.

The grant is paid in milestone-based installments after satisfactory progress reviews, backing product development, technology validation, pilot deployment, market validation, certifications, regulatory compliance, manufacturing readiness, and commercialization. Permissible expenses include certifications and IP costs like patent filing. Selected startups become resident incubatees of KonguTBI for the 12-month project.

STPI IGNITE Open Challenge Programme 2026 (Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)) Closes 25 October

The STPI IGNITE Open Challenge Programme 2026 is a national program from the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) for aspiring and early-stage startups and individual innovators working on Industry 4.0 in Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT).

Selected startups receive seed funding of up to ₹15,00,000 in three milestone-linked parts. Support also includes mentoring from industry experts, plug-and-play incubation space, emerging technology labs, workshops, training, marketing help, and patent facilitation. Indian startups at idea, prototype, pre-revenue, or revenue stage are eligible.

IEEE ClimateChain Global Hackathon (IEEE Turkey) Closes 25 October

The IEEE ClimateChain Global Hackathon is an online competition organized by IEEE Turkey, inviting participants worldwide to build innovative solutions at the intersection of blockchain, machine learning, and climate change. The hackathon leverages emerging technologies to address environmental challenges, encouraging teams to develop prototypes with real-world impact.

Open to developers, data scientists, blockchain enthusiasts, students, and professionals passionate about climate technology. Teams can be formed with members from any country, including India. The hackathon focuses on three core themes: Blockchain, Machine Learning/AI, and Social Good, with prizes available up to ₹2,76,000.

1st Call for Validation of Field-Ready Climate Solutions (C-CAMP) Closes 27 October

The 1st Call for Validation of Field-Ready Climate Solutions has been opened by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), with support from Ashraya Hastha Trust (AHT). This call targets Indian startups with deployment-ready solutions where climate change meets biology, across health, agriculture, and environment.

C-CAMP runs the call through its Centre of Excellence for Sustainability & Climate Action, seeking climate solutions that require on-field validation. It supports these through joint pilot projects that produce real-world evidence of impact. Up to ₹50,00,000 is available for joint validation projects. Selected startups also gain access to C-CAMP's network of government and industry stakeholders.

Before Applying

Potential applicants should carefully review the eligibility criteria for each program. Several opportunities, such as the TDP Call for Proposal 2026 (10), are specifically for Scheduled Tribe (ST) faculty, researchers, or institutions employing ST staff, focusing on IoT solutions for ST communities. The Pitch 2Konnect grant is tailored for early-stage climate and sustainability tech startups in South India with an existing prototype. For broader impact, the 1st Call for Validation of Field-Ready Climate Solutions from C-CAMP targets Indian startups with deployment-ready climate solutions requiring on-field validation, while the Karnataka Government First Initiative seeks deployment-ready solutions to address government problem statements.

All 11 programs highlighted have fixed deadlines, with the earliest closing on 20 October and the latest on 27 October. Founders interested in the TDP Call, EVOLVE 4.0, BIRAC-PATH, or IEEEXtreme 20.0 must act quickly as these close within the next two days. Missing these windows means waiting for potentially annual cohorts or similar future initiatives.