ELEVATE Shakti 2026 — Startup Karnataka Women-Led Grant
Under ELEVATE Karnataka by Startup Karnataka
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Quick Answer
One-time grant up to ₹50L for women-led Karnataka startups (51%+ women equity).
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹50 Lakhs
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Startup Karnataka
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- Karnataka
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 15 July 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Startup Karnataka. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this grant
ELEVATE Shakti 2026 is the women-led call of the Government of Karnataka's ELEVATE grant-in-aid scheme, run by the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) under the Department of Electronics, IT, BT & S&T. It is reserved for women-led startups and offers a one-time grant of up to ₹50 lakh to turn an idea into a working proof-of-concept.
To qualify, a woman or group of women must be a founder or co-founder holding at least a 51% stake in the company or firm, and that shareholding must hold through the entire project duration. Shakti runs alongside the general ELEVATE 2026 call and two other sibling calls — ELEVATE Aspire for startups registered beyond Bengaluru Urban, and ELEVATE Unnati for SC/ST-owned startups. A startup may apply to more than one call, but a single pitch is evaluated across all applied calls and the cumulative grant is capped at ₹50 lakh.
Funding is released in two equal tranches against milestones, beginning after a tripartite agreement is signed between KITS, the assigned K-Tech innovation partner and the startup. Selected startups are also mapped to government-backed incubators, accelerators, Centres of Excellence and innovation hubs for mentoring and incubation support at subsidized rates.
Shakti applicants skip the desk-based pitch deck evaluation and proceed directly to in-person Multi-City Pitching.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Startup Karnataka is the Government of Karnataka's startup programme, run by the Karnataka Startup Cell of the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) under the Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T. It works out of BKG Sapphire on Railway Parallel Road in Kumara…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Amount
- Up to ₹50 Lakhs
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
Selected startups are mapped to government-supported incubators, accelerators, Centres of Excellence and innovation hubs (K-Tech Innovation Partners) for mentoring and incubation support at subsidized rates. These partners handhold the startup, track milestone progress and recommend tranche releases, with milestone validation coordinated by KITS and the Department of Electronics, IT & BT.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Applications are scored out of 100 across five parameters: Novelty/Innovation (30), Strength of Business Model (30), Potential Socio-economic Impact (20), Team Strength (10) and Budgetary Allocation (10). Each parameter is scored independently by the jury panel, whose composition changes by round based on domain expertise. A minimum of 60 marks in the Multi-City Pitching round is required to reach the Grand Finale. Cumulative scores determine the final ranking and the tiered grant allocation.
Application Process
- 1
Online Application Submission
Submit the application on the official ELEVATE portal with incorporation/registration details, business and innovation details, founding team credentials, financials, a grant utilisation plan and all mandatory documents, including a shareholding pattern showing women founder(s)/co-founder(s) with at least a 51% stake.
You - 2
- 3
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- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
See the questions before you start
Download every question this programme's application form asks, so you can prepare your answers offline before opening the portal.
- 3
Line up your documents
Keep every document from the checklist ready in one folder. Missing docs are the #1 reason applications get bounced.
- 4
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 5
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is ELEVATE Shakti for?
Women-led startups — where a woman or group of women is a founder or co-founder holding at least a 51% stake in the company or firm.
What stake must women founders hold?
At least 51%, maintained for the entire project duration. Any dilution that breaches this leads to disqualification or termination of assistance.
Does ELEVATE Shakti take equity in my startup?
No. It is a grant-in-aid and is fully non-dilutive — no equity is taken.
Can I also apply to other ELEVATE calls?
Yes. A startup can apply to multiple calls, but a single pitch is evaluated across all of them and the total grant is capped at ₹50 lakh.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
