Deeptech, Electronics & Robotics Startup Grants and Funding Programs in India — August 2026

As of August 2026, at least 10 active funding programs are open to deeptech, electronics and robotics startups in India. These include grants, incubation programs and innovation competitions, with funding support ranging from early-stage grants to multi-crore challenge prizes.

India's deeptech funding landscape is shaped by government missions such as NMICPS, ministry-backed challenges and technology business incubators. Institutions like IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and NASSCOM's CoE for IoT & AI run structured programs, while corporate-led initiatives from Bosch and energy majors add private capital. Most programs accept applications on a rolling basis, though several competitions have fixed deadlines in August and September 2026.

Sponsored

Active Deeptech, Electronics & Robotics Grants and Programs

Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program at IITM Pravartak (IITM Pravartak)

The Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program at IITM Pravartak is a pre-incorporation grant for Indian innovators working on cyber-physical systems (CPS). It is run by IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, IIT Madras's Technology Innovation Hub under the NMICPS mission, headquartered at the IIT Madras Research Park in Chennai.

The program is designed for the stage before a company is incorporated. Pravartak takes on a single innovator with a CPS idea, provides runway and infrastructure to convert that idea into a working prototype or pilot, and then channels the founder into its incubation pipeline — PRAYAS and the Seed Support System — for follow-on funding once the company is formed.

Selected EIRs receive a grant of up to ₹4,20,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the program is intended for early-stage hardware and cyber-physical systems ventures rather than software-only businesses.

ACE $100k High-Touch AI Accelerator (Invention Engine)

The ACE $100k High-Touch AI Accelerator is a six-month program for early-stage AI and deeptech startups building globally relevant products. It is run by Invention Engine and is designed for founders who move beyond demos and focus on delivering real customer value through strong problem understanding, fast execution and disciplined product development.

ACE embeds deeply with founders, operating like a co-founding partner. Startups receive hands-on support from AI researchers, experienced entrepreneurs and global operators across product, go-to-market, hiring and fundraising. The accelerator helps founders sharpen their ideal customer profile, iterate products through real user feedback, launch focused GTM strategies and prepare for institutional fundraising.

Selected startups can receive up to ₹90,00,000. The application window is rolling, so startups can apply at any time.

iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway Prototype/PoC Funding Support (iCreate)

The iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway Prototype/PoC Funding Support is a government-recognised Technology Business Incubator program that helps startups turn a proof-of-concept or prototype into a successful product. It serves as a gateway to funding and holistic assistance through schemes from the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat.

Selected startups gain access to business and technical mentorship, a prototyping and digital innovation lab, incubation and funding support, connections with investors and industry, and hostel accommodation on the iCreate campus. The funding support goes up to ₹30,00,000.

The program is open on a rolling basis. It is suited for electronics, hardware and IoT startups that need laboratory facilities alongside capital.

Nasscom Deeptech Club Launchpad Incubation Program (NASSCOM)

The Nasscom Deeptech Club Launchpad Incubation Program is a virtual incubation program for early-stage, long-gestation deeptech startups in India. It supports ventures working on advanced and frontier technologies, focusing on strengthening their technological and intellectual property capabilities and providing access to markets and investors.

The program follows a continuous, pipeline-based incubation model, allowing startups to engage throughout the year instead of in fixed cohorts. This flexible structure lets startups enter at the right stage of readiness and receive support aligned with their development cycle.

Funding support varies by stage and need. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

IHFC Startup Incubation Program (IHFC, IIT Delhi)

The IHFC Startup Incubation Program is an incubation and acceleration initiative run by I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics, a Section 8 company established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NMICPS) and hosted at IIT Delhi. Its focus areas include cyber-physical systems, robotics, autonomous systems, IoT and artificial intelligence.

The program provides incubation support to early-stage deep tech startups in these domains. Funding support varies depending on the startup's stage and requirements, and applications are open on a rolling basis.

iDEX Open Challenge (iDEX)

The iDEX Open Challenge is a flagship initiative by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) and iDEX to foster innovation in India's defence and aerospace sectors. It targets next-generation engineers, startups and MSMEs developing solutions in areas such as autonomous systems, intelligent machines, advanced materials, predictive algorithms and rocket engines.

Selected innovators can receive up to ₹1,50,00,000 in funding support. Applications must be submitted by 30 September 2026. The program is competition-based, with a structured evaluation process to identify and validate the most promising technologies.

Open Challenge Program (OCP) 8.0 - Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar (Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar)

The Open Challenge Program (OCP) 8.0 is a flagship initiative by Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar to accelerate innovation in India's Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) sector. It is established by STPI with support from the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) and the Government of Odisha.

The program targets startups and innovators developing solutions in semiconductor design, AI, IoT, robotics, embedded systems, smart cities, AgriTech, DisasterTech, PCB design and computer vision. Selected ventures can receive up to ₹25,00,000 in support.

The deadline is 9 August 2026, so applications for this intake close soon. The program provides incubation, mentorship and funding to high-potential ventures through a competitive selection process.

BOSCH - BMU Innovation Challenge (ACIC-BMU Foundation)

The BOSCH – BMU Innovation Challenge is a corporate innovation competition run by ACIC-BMU Foundation in partnership with Bosch India. It invites innovators and researchers to propose solutions for sustainable mobility, including enhancing mobility for the masses, reducing environmental impact, ensuring road safety, and improving inclusivity for persons with disabilities, senior citizens and women.

Focus areas include connectivity, synthetic fuels and clean technologies, electrification, innovative brake systems, and other mobility-related advancements. The challenge is open on a rolling basis, and funding support varies by the quality and stage of the submission. It is relevant for deeptech startups in automotive, electronics and clean technology.

CoE Innovation Challenge: AI-Powered Foreign Object Detection in Bulk Cargo Unloaders (NASSCOM CoE-IoT&AI)

The CoE Innovation Challenge: AI-Powered Foreign Object Detection in Bulk Cargo Unloaders is an innovation challenge from the nasscom Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI, a joint initiative with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and the governments of Karnataka, Haryana and Gujarat. The challenge is developed in collaboration with a major port terminal operator and addresses a specific operational problem: detecting foreign objects inside deep vessel holds during coal unloading.

Current operations lack visibility inside 18–19 metre deep holds, where hidden debris can damage equipment and lead to significant downtime and costs. The program invites deeptech startups to develop advanced detection solutions using AI, computer vision, sensor fusion or similar approaches.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and funding support varies. This challenge is well suited for startups working on industrial computer vision, radar or sonar-based detection systems.

MC²+ Grand Butanol Challenge (MC² Foundation)

The MC²+ Grand Butanol Challenge is an energy innovation platform organised by the MC² Foundation, an initiative of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and the Department of Biotechnology. It unites seven of India's largest energy majors to carry ventures from lab bench to industrial scale.

The challenge invites innovators, startups, technology developers and research institutions to propose indigenous, scalable and commercially viable technologies for producing n-Butanol and iso-Butanol as next-generation diesel-blending fuels. Solutions are sought across multiple challenge areas, including feedstock processing, fermentation and downstream separation.

Selected winners can receive up to ₹7,50,00,000 in funding support. The deadline is 15 August 2026. This competition is relevant for startups in synthetic biology, chemical engineering and renewable fuels.

Before Applying

Before applying, review the sector and stage eligibility of each program. The EIR at IITM Pravartak is limited to innovators working on cyber-physical systems, while the OCP 8.0 from Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar targets the ESDM sector. The iDEX Open Challenge specifically seeks startups, MSMEs and individual innovators, and iCreate's Pro-Fund Gateway is intended for ventures with an existing proof-of-concept or prototype rather than ideas. The MC²+ Grand Butanol Challenge is restricted to technologies for n-butanol and iso-butanol production.

Deadlines matter. The OCP 8.0 closes on 9 August 2026 — five days from now — and the MC²+ Grand Butanol Challenge closes on 15 August 2026. The iDEX Open Challenge remains open until 30 September 2026. All other programs in this list accept applications on a rolling basis, but some follow different intake models: the Nasscom Deeptech Club Launchpad uses a continuous pipeline rather than fixed cohorts, while iCreate expects startups to use its campus facilities. Plan accordingly.