Energy & Climate Startup Grants and Funding Programs in India — November 2026

For Indian startups operating in the Energy & Climate sector, November 2026 presents 10 active opportunities across grants, incubation programs, and competitions. These initiatives aim to foster innovation and support ventures addressing critical environmental and sustainability challenges.The funding landscape for Energy & Climate ventures in India is characterized by a mix of government-backed schemes, institutional programs, and global competitions. These avenues collectively provide capital, mentorship, and market access, supporting technological development and deployment in areas such as clean energy, sustainable mobility, waste management, and biodiversity protection.

Active Energy & Climate Grants and Programs

BIRAC-IKP EDGE Internationalisation (IKP Knowledge Park)

The EDGE Centre at IKP Knowledge Park, an initiative supported by DBT–BIRAC, serves as a strategic platform for strengthening innovation through entrepreneurship development, internationalization, investment facilitation, technology validation, and commercialization support. It aims to connect promising biotech, life sciences, and deep-tech ventures with industry, investors, and global ecosystems.

The program offers structured pathways tailored to a venture's stage. This includes support for early-stage technology validation (TRL 2-5) through Pathfinder, scaling and market-entry preparation (TRL 5-7) through Pathfinder+, and international immersion and soft-landing for market-ready ventures (TRL 7-9). The initiative is designed to help Indian startups, SMEs, and companies navigate international markets. Applications for the BIRAC-IKP EDGE Internationalisation close on 7 November 2026.

Global EbA Fund Medium-Size Grants 2026 (IUCN)

The Global EbA Fund's Medium-Size Grants Call for Proposals invites innovative and collaborative approaches to advance Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) worldwide. This initiative aims to address systemic barriers to scalability, foster global learning, and contribute to policy dialogue around climate, biodiversity, land, and development priorities. The program seeks to strengthen enabling environments and embed EbA into national frameworks, encouraging proposals that unify strategic climate, biodiversity, land, and development agendas.

The call features priority topics including Innovative Finance Solutions for EbA, which supports partnerships with private sector actors to unlock private and blended capital. This emphasizes the evolution of EbA practices into profitable, scalable business models. The deadline for the Global EbA Fund Medium-Size Grants 2026 is 16 November 2026.

beVisioneers Mercedes-Benz Fellowship (beVisioneers)

The beVisioneers Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, implemented by The DO School Fellowships gGmbH and supported by Mercedes-Benz, empowers young eco-innovators. It provides training, expert guidance, and resources to translate early-stage environmental solutions into lasting impact.

The two-year Fellowship commences with a hybrid Foundation Year, which supports Fellows in launching or refining their projects. A second Acceleration Year follows, providing continued guidance to scale solutions, develop leadership skills, and strengthen local environmental initiatives. Applications are open until 1 February 2027.

Villgro Climate Tech Incubator 2.0 (Villgro)

India's rapid urbanization presents significant challenges across transport, waste management, and resource utilization, contributing substantially to energy-related CO2 emissions and e-waste. Concurrently, India is driving a national shift towards cleaner mobility, circular resource use, and cleaner energy through policies like 30% EV adoption and 500 GW non-fossil power capacity by 2030, alongside Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates and Circular Economy Action Plans.

This landscape creates an opportunity for innovative startups to develop solutions for a sustainable future. The Villgro Climate Tech Incubator 2.0, a collaborative effort between Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) and Villgro, aims to support this transformation. The program is designed to catalyze climate tech ventures. The application window closes on 22 November 2026.

Pollination Project Daily Grants (The Pollination Project)

The Pollination Project is a global foundation dedicated to fostering social and environmental change by providing seed funding to grassroots changemakers. Since its inception in 2012, TPP has supported over 6,000 projects across 120 countries, driven by a vision for a more compassionate world.

The foundation empowers individuals, informally organized groups, and early-stage non-profits whose volunteer-led initiatives address critical global challenges. These challenges span a wide array of categories, including planetary and human health, climate resilience, environmental regeneration, equity and dignity, empowerment of women and girls, human rights, social justice, and animal protection. The Pollination Project Daily Grants program operates on a rolling basis, allowing changemakers to apply continuously.

D-Prize Global Competition 2026 (D-Prize)

The D-Prize Global Competition 2026 seeks to address global poverty by funding new organizations that distribute proven poverty interventions. The core philosophy is that effective solutions exist but often fail to reach those who need them most at the "last mile." D-Prize identifies these interventions and challenges aspiring entrepreneurs to design and launch new ventures dedicated to scaling their distribution.

This competition provides seed funding and support for individuals or teams ready to commit to launching a new organization to tackle a specific poverty challenge, ranging from health and education to agriculture and infrastructure. The goal is to enable these new organizations to run successful pilots and attract further investment for reach. The deadline for applications is 16 November 2026.

ITU AI for Good Innovation Factory 2026 (ITU)

The ITU AI for Good Innovation Factory 2026 is a global competition designed to identify and support early-stage artificial intelligence startups dedicated to solving critical global challenges. Organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with Seedstars, this program offers a platform for innovators worldwide to showcase their AI solutions.

The initiative aims to foster innovation in AI for social good, bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and impactful applications across various sectors. Participants gain access to a global ecosystem of investors, mentors, and industry experts, enabling them to accelerate growth and amplify their positive impact on a global scale. Applications close on 23 November 2026.

Startup India National Awards (DPIIT)

Startup India, under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, offers two distinct awards programs aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

Startup India NSA 6.0 Student Innovator Award

The Startup India NSA 6.0 Student Innovator Award is an initiative to ignite and foster innovation and entrepreneurial spirit among young minds across India, from school-aged children to undergraduate students. By recognizing and rewarding student-led projects, the award identifies and promotes early-stage solutions that address real-world problems with scalability potential. Participants develop ideas into tangible outputs such as prototypes, Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), working models, or proofs of concept. Projects must align with the "Shakti Ki Sapta Dharas" (Seven Pillars of Strength), which includes categories relevant to energy and climate solutions.

National Startup Awards 6.0

The National Startup Awards 6.0 is designed to identify and celebrate exceptional startups driving innovation, demonstrating scalability, and creating significant socio-economic impact across India. The awards foster a vibrant startup ecosystem by providing recognition, visibility, and connections to promising ventures. Winners are selected through a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation process, culminating in a pitching event before a National Jury Panel. Beyond seed funding, NSA 6.0 offers opportunities to connect with a network of stakeholders.

Both the Startup India NSA 6.0 Student Innovator Award and the National Startup Awards 6.0 have a submission deadline of 30 November 2026.

MassChallenge Challenge Programs 2027 (MassChallenge)

MassChallenge's 2026-2027 Challenge Cycle connects promising startups with leading industry organizations to address complex challenges. This program is designed for pre-seed to Series A startups whose solutions align with published challenge statements from corporate partners in sectors like FinTech, Insurance, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Security & Resiliency, Sustainable Food Systems, Climate, and Global Financial Systems.

Startups gain opportunities to put their technology to work, build enterprise relationships, and accelerate the commercial application of innovative solutions through direct collaboration with industry leaders. The program emphasizes creating pathways for business development. The deadline to apply for the MassChallenge Challenge Programs 2027 is 9 November 2026.

Before Applying

Careful review of eligibility criteria is essential for these programs. The Startup India NSA 6.0 Student Innovator Award specifically targets student innovators, while The Pollination Project extends support to individuals, informal groups, and early-stage non-profits. For ventures seeking international market exposure, the BIRAC-IKP EDGE Internationalisation program is tailored for Indian startups and SMEs. MassChallenge programs are typically for pre-seed to Series A startups, and the Global EbA Fund seeks specific approaches to Ecosystem-based Adaptation, often involving private sector partnerships.

Deadlines for several programs are approaching rapidly in November 2026. The MassChallenge Challenge Programs 2027 closes on 9 November, followed by BIRAC-IKP EDGE Internationalisation on 7 November, and both the Global EbA Fund and D-Prize Global Competition on 16 November. Villgro Climate Tech Incubator 2.0 has a deadline of 22 November, and the ITU AI for Good Innovation Factory 2026 closes on 23 November. The various Startup India National Awards programs conclude their application period on 30 November. In contrast, the Pollination Project Daily Grants program operates on a rolling basis, allowing for continuous applications, and the beVisioneers Mercedes-Benz Fellowship offers a later deadline of 1 February 2027.