10 Startup Grants and Funding Programs Newly Listed This Week — October 2026

This week, 10 new startup funding opportunities were listed, including grants, seed funds, and incubation programs. These initiatives are offered by notable organizations such as BIRAC, C-CAMP, and IIT Kanpur's SIIC. They target a range of sectors from biotechnology and climate solutions to manufacturing and healthcare innovation.

These newly announced programs aim to support early-stage ventures and innovators across various stages of development, providing resources essential for technology development, market entry, and scaling.

Newly Listed This Week

BIRAC-PATH Patent Facilitation (BIRAC)

The BIRAC-PATH Patent Facilitation program by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) offers end-to-end support for protecting biotech innovations. This initiative from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, assists innovators with both Indian and international intellectual property rights.

The program aims to alleviate the financial and procedural complexities of securing IP, an essential step for commercialization. It provides strategic guidance and connects innovators with empaneled IP and Technology Transfer firms, covering various stages of the patenting process. Applications are open until 21 October 2026.

BIRAC E-YUVA 2026 (BIRAC)

The BIRAC E-YUVA 2026 scheme, from BIRAC and the Department of Biotechnology, promotes entrepreneurial innovation among young students and researchers. It supports applied, need-oriented translational research in biotechnology.

The program has two categories:

• BIRAC’s E-YUVA Fellows supports undergraduate teams (3–5 Indian students) with a mentor. Teams work at college/university labs with access to E-YUVA Centre (EYC) facilities, requiring 3–4 weeks at an EYC or Knowledge Partner. This category runs for 12 months.
• BIRAC’s Innovation Fellows is for individuals with a completed Masters or PhD. Fellows work full-time at an EYC and are expected to initiate biotech startups. This category lasts 18 months, with a possible 6-month extension. The fourth call is anchored at nine recently established E-YUVA Centres, offering up to ₹5,00,000 in funding. The application deadline is 31 October 2026.

NIRMIT Manufacturing Cohort (i-Hub Gujarat)

The NIRMIT Manufacturing Cohort is an acceleration program for manufacturing and industrial-tech startups. Run by i-Hub Gujarat in partnership with India Accelerator, it focuses on strengthening technology, business models, and market readiness.

The program supports startups in domains such as Industry 4.0, Industrial AI & Smart Manufacturing, Robotics, Automation & Machine Vision, Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Additive Manufacturing, Connected Industrial Hardware, Electronics & Semiconductors, and Next-Generation Manufacturing & Industrial Technologies. This three-month program includes mentorship, expert sessions, industry interactions, and a final showcase for pitching to leaders and investors. The deadline to apply is 12 October 2026.

EVOLVE 4.0 Incubation Program (AIC-Pinnacle Entrepreneurship Forum)

The EVOLVE 4.0 Incubation Program is designed to accelerate startups in Indian mobility and electric transportation. AIC-Pinnacle Entrepreneurship Forum, in collaboration with NATRAX (National Automotive Test Tracks), runs this program.

It supports ventures from Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage to commercialization across various sectors, including EV & mobility, components & battery technology, telematics & connected mobility, shared & smart mobility, aerial mobility, automotive technology, and mobility software. Up to 20 selected startups receive mentoring, product development and testing support via the AIC-Pinnacle–NATRAX MoU, industry and investor connections, and national and international exposure. The application deadline is 20 October 2026.

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

The 1st Call for Validation of Field-Ready Climate Solutions is an initiative by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), supported by Ashraya Hastha Trust (AHT). This program seeks to assist Indian innovators with deployment-ready solutions in climate change and biology, spanning health, agriculture, and environment.

C-CAMP's Centre of Excellence for Sustainability & Climate Action aims to facilitate the transition of promising innovations from technology development to real-world validation, market adoption, and scale. The call focuses on solutions requiring on-field validation, supporting them through collaborative pilot projects to gather real-world impact evidence. Selected projects can receive funding up to ₹50,00,000. Applications close on 27 October 2026.

Rooma Ajay Dubey HII Healthcare Immersion (SIIC IIT Kanpur)

The Rooma Ajay Dubey HII Healthcare Immersion Program, launched by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur, connects theoretical healthcare innovation with practical clinical challenges. It provides innovators with direct access to live clinical environments.

This program facilitates hands-on immersion, allowing participants to observe, identify problems, and understand healthcare needs from the ground up. The objective is to refine groundbreaking ideas that are directly informed by patient care realities, operational workflows within medical facilities, and the daily experiences of healthcare professionals. This program has a rolling application process.

SARTHI Entrepreneurship Development & Incubation Initiatives (SARTHI, Government of Maharashtra)

The Sarsenapati Santaji Ghorpade SARTHI Entrepreneurship Development (Incubation) Initiative, an autonomous program by the Government of Maharashtra, aims to foster technology-driven entrepreneurship within specific communities in the state. Each of SARTHI's 13 incubation centers supports 10 new entrepreneurs per cohort, providing guidance and facilities for transforming innovative technology business ideas into scalable startups within a one-year timeframe, offering up to ₹3,00,000 in support.

Several host institutions have recently opened applications for this program:

• The SARTHI AIC BAMU Foundation Incubation 2026-27 at AIC BAMU Foundation in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
• The SARTHI Incubation Program at NETRARIT Foundation 2026 at NETRARIT Foundation in Sangli.
• The SARTHI Incubation at AIC IISER Pune 2026 at AIC IISER Pune Seed Foundation.
• The SARTHI FMCIII Incubation 2026-27, Pune at the Foundation for Make It Happen Center for Invention Innovation Incubation (FMCIII) in Pune, specifically targeting entrepreneurs from Maratha, Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha, and Maratha-Kunbi categories. The application deadline for all these SARTHI incubation programs is 15 October 2026.

Before Applying

Eligibility criteria vary significantly across these programs. For instance, the SARTHI Incubation Initiatives are specifically targeted at entrepreneurs from defined communities in Maharashtra, such as Maratha and Kunbi. BIRAC's E-YUVA program requires applicants to be undergraduate teams or individuals with a Masters or PhD. Sector-specific programs like NIRMIT focus on manufacturing, EVOLVE 4.0 on mobility and electric transportation, and C-CAMP's call on climate solutions at the intersection of biology.

Applicants should note the differing application timelines. While most programs have specific deadlines in October 2026, such as the various SARTHI programs by October 15th, the BIRAC-PATH by October 21st, EVOLVE 4.0 by October 20th, C-CAMP by October 27th, and BIRAC E-YUVA by October 31st, the Rooma Ajay Dubey HII Healthcare Immersion program from SIIC IIT Kanpur operates on a rolling application basis.