Closing this month — Startup Grants & Funding Programs in India

MIT Solve seeks innovative, tech-based solutions to equitably adapt to a warming climate and decarbonize how we live and eat, offering grants and prizes.

Y Combinator's Winter 2027 batch (January–March, San Francisco) invests $500K in early-stage startups and adds partner mentorship, a founder network and investor introductions.

Non-dilutive grants of €5,000–€50,000 for open-source software, hardware and open-standards work that strengthens the open internet.

NLnet offers financial support for technical development projects that use open licenses and standards, with a focus on open internet technologies, with grants up to €50,000.

Explore international market access, technology internationalisation, partnerships, and commercialisation opportunities through BIRAC EDGE at IKP Knowledge Park.

A one-year equity-free fellowship by Bharathiya Vikas Trust, offering up to ₹30 lakh and comprehensive support to biomedical innovators at TRL 4+.

An industry-specific accelerator program connecting mid-to-late stage startups with corporate partners to solve complex challenges and drive commercial collaboration.

An early-stage startup challenge by Cars24, Startup India, and Startup Policy Forum, offering a shared prize pool of ₹1 crore, mentorship, and deployment opportunities across Fintech, Mobility, Supply Chain, and Sovereign AI.

A structured business acceleration program for innovative MSMEs and startups in West Bengal, offering training, mentorship, and investor access to facilitate funding and expansion.

Government of Karnataka's flagship deep tech grant program offering up to ₹1 crore per startup, with mentorship and milestone-based funding, targeting science- and engineering-led innovations.

One-time grant up to ₹50L for Karnataka startups where a minority founder holds at least 51%, to build a prototype and scale up.

An India-wide grand challenge inviting students, startups, and enterprises to build innovative digital twin solutions for India's logistics sector, offering cash prizes and access to key datasets.

Startup Jharkhand's NIRMAN 1.0 is a pre-accelerator program guiding aspiring founders and early-stage builders from ideation to MVP launch with structured support.

A national challenge to identify and accelerate validated, deployable innovations addressing heat and climate-health challenges in India, offering cash prizes and support.

A 12-week acceleration program for student innovators from Karnataka and Maharashtra focusing on climate and mobility challenges, offering up to ₹50,000 grant for prototype development.

An online, beginner-friendly hackathon with a $300 prize pool, open to participants worldwide including India.

The D-Prize Global Competition provides up to US$20,000 to launch new organizations distributing proven poverty solutions in low- and middle-income countries.

Provides grants of up to USD 500,000 (₹4.17 crore) to organizations, including private sector companies, for innovative Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) projects globally, especially in ODA-eligible countries like India, focusing on scalability and policy impact.

A national-level virtual hackathon by IEEE SMC GNITC — 48-hour sprint with a $1,350 prize pool.

Receive grant funding up to ₹35 lakh and tailored mentorship for climate tech startups focusing on circular economy, clean mobility, and energy resilience.

Opportunity for farmers, technicians, or labourers with innovative ideas to receive grant support of up to ₹4 lakh to develop and implement their practical, ground-level solutions in Karnataka.

A global competition for early-stage AI startups addressing major global challenges, offering a $20,000 grand prize, mentorship, and global exposure.