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

Ten new funding and support programs for startups have been listed this week, encompassing a range of grants, seed funds, and incubation initiatives. These opportunities are available from diverse organizations including the Department of IT and E-Governance, Technology Development Board, Aum Ventures, and Social Alpha.

Founders can explore programs focused on technology development, deeptech innovation, and sector-specific acceleration across various stages of startup growth.

Newly Listed This Week

Saksham 4.0 Startup Accelerator (Department of IT and E-Governance)

Saksham 4.0 is the flagship startup acceleration program by Startup Jharkhand, designed to propel early-stage startups from validation into sustainable and scalable growth. This intensive 6-8 week program is tailored for ventures with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or working prototype, and early users or customers.

The accelerator provides support through expert-led mentorship, strategic workshops, founder networking, and facilitated market access. Startups receive guidance to solidify their product-market fit and expand operations. Applications for this cohort close on 30 September 2026.

TDB Project Funding (Loan & Equity) (Technology Development Board)

The Technology Development Board (TDB) administers a fund generated from the Research & Development Cess, aimed at encouraging the commercial application of indigenous technology and adapting imported technology for domestic use. TDB provides financial assistance to industrial concerns and other agencies, bridging the gap between research and market-ready products.

Funding supports projects involving new products, processes, or applications utilizing indigenous technology, or adapting imported technology. This program operates on a rolling application basis, allowing submissions throughout the year.

Samvardhan Design Accelerator 3.0 (PIEDS)

The Samvardhan Design Accelerator (SDA) is a specialized 6-month physical product accelerator jointly operated by PIEDS and Studio Carbon. This third cohort focuses on identifying and nurturing deeptech startups with innovative solutions in climate and health sectors.

SDA 3.0 offers financial investment up to ₹15,00,000, coupled with intensive mentorship, hands-on design consultation, and access to prototyping and manufacturing facilities. The program is structured to accelerate product development, refine business models, and prepare startups for market entry. The application deadline is 4 October 2026.

GrowX Accelerator Program (Nasscom AI Centre of Excellence)

The GrowX Accelerator Program, spearheaded by the AI Centre of Excellence (AI CoE) in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, nurtures promising AI and Deep-tech startups in India. This collaborative initiative is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Science & Technology (Government of Gujarat), NASSCOM CoE for IoT & AI, and global tech companies Microsoft and Google.

The accelerator provides support enabling startups to address common growth challenges. It aims to strengthen the foundation of AI and Deep-tech ventures through resources and guidance. This program accepts applications on a rolling basis.

INDIA DeepSpark 2026 Accelerator (Aum Ventures)

INDIA DeepSpark '26, a flagship initiative by Aum Ventures in partnership with T-Hub, focuses on fostering DeepTech innovation from India. The program targets early-stage founders developing globally scalable, IP-led technologies, aiming to bridge research with market solutions.

This accelerator provides crucial pre-seed/seed capital, a global network spanning the US, Israel, and the Middle East, and a support ecosystem. DeepSpark '26 seeks to empower visionaries in frontier technology sectors. The application period for this program concludes on 30 September 2026.

Interconnect Innovation Catalyst Program 2026 (Bharathiya Vikas Trust)

The Interconnect Innovation Catalyst Program strengthens India's biomedical innovation ecosystem by enabling collaboration and providing structured support. Implemented by Bharathiya Vikas Trust (BVT) and supported by Blockchain for Impact (BFI), this one-year program helps innovators scale, validate, and build viable pathways to impact.

Cohort 2 is open for biomedical innovators at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4+. Up to 50 fellows will receive funding of up to ₹30,00,000 over 12 months, disbursed quarterly based on milestone achievements, along with mentorship and market access. Applications must be submitted by 9 November 2026.

Pitch 2Konnect – KonguTBI × KVB Prototype-to-Market Grant (Kongu Engineering College)

The PITCH 2KONNECT program is a collaborative initiative by KonguTBI (TBI@KEC, Kongu Engineering College) and Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) through its CSR efforts. It empowers early-stage technology startups with groundbreaking prototypes or products, assisting them in evolving solutions into market-ready enterprises.

This grant supports startups in achieving product development and technology validation, pilot deployment and market validation, certifications and regulatory compliance, and manufacturing readiness and commercialization. The program aims to bridge early-stage funding gaps and accelerate revenue growth. The deadline for applications is 25 October 2026.

Marico Innovation Foundation Scale-Up Program (Marico Innovation Foundation)

The Scale-Up Program by Marico Innovation Foundation (MIF) is a no-equity rapid acceleration initiative for high-potential, for-profit Indian startups. It guides companies through their critical growth phase, specifically from ₹1 crore to ₹100 crore in annual revenue.

Scale-Up offers a long-tail engagement model, providing bespoke mentorship and implementation support, often for 3-5 years or until the target revenue is achieved. The program is designed to address growth bottlenecks and facilitate a significant leap in market presence. This program accepts applications on a rolling basis.

GINCELERATOR NIDHI Accelerator (GINSERV)

GINSERV’s Acceleration Programs are designed to propel growth-stage startups by enabling them to scale operations and refine business strategies. The NIDHI Accelerator – GINCELERATOR focuses on fast-tracking early-stage ventures in Healthcare, Medtech, and Life Sciences.

Specialized focus areas include neurology, cardiology, infectious diseases, radiology, and oncology. The program offers expert mentorship, market validation opportunities, and strategic corporate connections to its cohort. GINCELERATOR accepts applications on a rolling basis.

mach33.aero Venture Incubation (Social Alpha)

mach33.aero is India's not-for-profit platform dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in critical and emerging technology sectors, with a focus on aviation, aerospace, and spacetech. The platform aims to enable the creation, scaling, and adoption of deep technologies and advanced applications.

The Venture Incubation program supports early-stage startups and innovators developing groundbreaking solutions in these high-potential domains. It provides strategic interventions and tailored offerings through an open and federated ecosystem. Applications for mach33.aero Venture Incubation are accepted on a rolling basis.

Before Applying

Several programs outlined this week target specific startup stages or sectors. For instance, Saksham 4.0 requires an MVP or working prototype, while Interconnect Innovation Catalyst Program 2026 is for biomedical innovators at TRL 4+. Marico Innovation Foundation's Scale-Up program specifically targets for-profit Indian startups aiming for ₹1 crore to ₹100 crore in annual revenue.

Applicants should note the varied application timelines. Saksham 4.0 and INDIA DeepSpark 2026 both have deadlines on 30 September 2026, and Samvardhan Design Accelerator 3.0 closes on 4 October 2026. Conversely, TDB Project Funding, GrowX Accelerator, Marico Innovation Foundation Scale-Up, GINCELERATOR NIDHI Accelerator, and mach33.aero Venture Incubation all have rolling application processes.