Social & Impact Startup Grants and Funding Programs in India — August 2026
Ten active programs — from IIMA Ventures and Villgro to Maruti Suzuki and Wellcome — offer grants, equity, and competition rewards for India's social & impact startups. Deadlines range from rolling to 15 September 2026.
As of August 2026, at least 10 active grants, incubation programs, and competitions are accepting applications from social enterprises and impact-driven startups in India. They range from early-stage prototyping grants to scale-up equity and national innovation challenges.
The funding landscape draws from institutional incubators like IIMA Ventures and Villgro, government-supported programs such as AIC-IIITH Foundation and Electropreneur Park, corporate initiatives including Maruti Suzuki NURTURE and Next Bharat Ventures, and international philanthropies like Wellcome. Deadlines vary, with some programs on rolling intake and others closing within weeks.
Active Social & Impact Grants and Programs
| Program | Type | Deadline | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Economic Empowerment | Grant | Rolling | From ₹45 lakh |
| MAP-Health | Incubation | Rolling | Varies |
| Akash Coherent ImpactTech Program | Grant | Rolling | Up to ₹2.2 lakh |
| Andhra University Centenary Innovation & Impact Grant | Grant | Rolling | Up to ₹5 lakh |
| Next Bharat Residency Program | Equity | Rolling | Up to ₹5 crore |
| Maruti Suzuki NURTURE Cohort 4 | Competition | Rolling | Up to ₹13 lakh |
| Indian Innovation Icons 2027 | Competition | Rolling | Varies |
| The Wellcome Prize for Mental Health Science | Competition | 15 Sep 2026 | Up to ₹9.5 crore |
| Swanari TechSprint 4.0 | Competition | 15 Aug 2026 | Varies |
| Open Challenge Program (OCP) 8.0 | Competition | 9 Aug 2026 | Up to ₹25 lakh |
Women's Economic Empowerment (IIMA Ventures)
The Women's Economic Empowerment program, run by IIMA Ventures with support from the Gates Foundation, targets technology-enabled solutions that advance women's economic participation. The initiative is open to startups using AI and other digital tools to address gender gaps in income, employment, and financial access.
Selected ventures receive grant funding starting at ₹45 lakh. IIMA Ventures, the incubator at IIM Ahmedabad, provides mentorship and network access. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
The program is sector-agnostic as long as the primary beneficiary group is women and the solution uses technology. Preference is given to ventures with a clear path to scale and measurable social outcomes.
MAP-Health (Villgro)
MAP-Health is Villgro's market-access accelerator for early-stage social enterprises in Indian healthcare. Villgro, the country's oldest and largest social enterprise incubator, runs the program to help enterprises secure distribution partnerships, revenue traction, and investment readiness.
The program focuses on innovations that improve access, affordability, or quality of healthcare for low-income populations. It is structured around a defined engagement period with hands-on support from Villgro's sector experts.
Funding support varies by need and stage. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Enterprises with a working prototype or early revenue are preferred.
Akash Coherent ImpactTech Program (AIC-IIITH Foundation)
The Akash Coherent ImpactTech Program is a 4–6 month acceleration initiative of AIC-IIITH Foundation, in partnership with Coherent Corp and supported by Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog. It targets deep-tech innovations addressing social or climate challenges aligned with India's Sustainable Development Goals.
The program is designed to bridge the transition from lab prototype (TRL 3) to a market-ready product. Selected startups receive milestone-based grant funding of up to ₹2.2 lakh, released against agreed milestones rather than as a lump sum.
The focus is deliberately narrow: only solutions at the prototype stage are eligible. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Andhra University Centenary Innovation & Impact Grant (Andhra University)
The Andhra University Centenary Innovation & Impact Grant (AUCIIG) offers grants of up to ₹5 lakh under RUSA 2.0. It is open to research projects, prototypes, and startup ideas originating from the Andhra University ecosystem — students, faculty, and researchers.
The grant supports a broad set of focus areas, including AI, IT/ITES, HealthTech, EdTech, green energy, robotics, IoT, and social-impact innovation. Beyond funding, selected innovators receive mentorship, validation support, and opportunities for prototype-to-market development.
Because the program is tied to the university's centenary and RUSA 2.0 funding, applicants must have a formal association with Andhra University. The deadline is rolling.
Next Bharat Residency Program (Next Bharat Ventures)
The Next Bharat Residency Program is a Suzuki Initiative run by Next Bharat Ventures IFSC. It supports impact entrepreneurs building for India's informal urban and rural economies — the "India 2" and "India 3" segments with household incomes between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹10 lakh per year.
The program runs over 3 months in a hybrid format, including three weeks of in-person sessions in Bengaluru. Selected founders receive equity-based funding of up to ₹5 crore and a stipend for living expenses.
This is an equity investment, not a grant. Rolling applications are accepted. Startups must have a product-market fit and a plan to scale within the target segments.
Maruti Suzuki NURTURE Cohort 4 (IIM Calcutta Innovation Park)
Maruti Suzuki NURTURE Cohort 4 is a pre-incubation competition run jointly by Maruti Suzuki and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park. It is open to early-stage startups with solutions in mobility, tech in mobility, sustainability, social impact, and enterprise/manufacturing.
The program offers cash rewards up to ₹13 lakh, a paid proof-of-concept opportunity, mentorship, and access to Maruti Suzuki's extended ecosystem. While the initiative has a regional focus on eastern, north-eastern and central India, startups offering services anywhere in India can apply.
Applications are rolling. Domain-specific tracks mean social-impact ventures working on rural mobility, skill development, or sustainable alternatives find relevance.
Indian Innovation Icons 2027 (Marico Innovation Foundation)
Indian Innovation Icons 2027 is the 11th edition of Marico Innovation Foundation's biennial competition. It identifies and supports Indian innovations with proven real-world impact, offering strategic mentorship, investor access, and national visibility.
Both for-profit and not-for-profit organisations are eligible. Selected innovators do not receive direct grant funding; instead, the value is in the network, mentorship, and exposure.
The deadline is rolling. Applications are evaluated on scalability, uniqueness, and contribution to solving societal challenges.
The Wellcome Prize for Mental Health Science with Nature (Wellcome)
The Wellcome Prize for Mental Health Science is an international competition run by Wellcome in partnership with Nature. It supports novel interventions for anxiety, depression, and psychosis — from digital tools to new care models.
Up to ₹9.5 crore is available for winning entries. The prize is designed to accelerate adoption, policy change, and scaling of mental health solutions across low- and middle-income countries.
The deadline is 15 September 2026. Applicants should have evidence of early efficacy, not just an idea.
Swanari TechSprint 4.0: AI for Inclusive Finance (IIMA Ventures)
Swanari TechSprint 4.0 is an innovation challenge co-created by RBIH and IIMA Ventures. It focuses on AI-driven financial inclusion for women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and women entrepreneurs across India.
The competition invites solutions that improve credit access, savings, digital bookkeeping, and financial literacy for SHG members. It is positioned as a capacity-building movement as much as a contest.
The deadline is 15 August 2026. Funding amounts vary and are not disclosed in the public call.
Open Challenge Program (OCP) 8.0 - Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar (Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar)
Open Challenge Program (OCP) 8.0 is Electropreneur Park Bhubaneswar's flagship startup competition for the Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) sector. It is supported by STPI, the Ministry of Electronics & IT, and the Government of Odisha.
The program supports startups in semiconductor design, AI, IoT, robotics, embedded systems, smart cities, agritech, disastertech, PCB design, and computer vision. Selected ventures receive incubation, mentorship, and funding up to ₹25 lakh.
The deadline is 9 August 2026. The competition is open to early-stage ESDM startups with a working prototype.
Before Applying
Before applying, note the eligibility gates. AUCIIG restricts submissions to projects originating from the Andhra University ecosystem. Next Bharat Residency only backs ventures targeting India 2/India 3 economies (household incomes of ₹1.5–10 lakh). Akash Coherent expects working prototypes at TRL 3 or higher; Maruti Suzuki NURTURE is regionally anchored but open to pan-India service providers. Swanari TechSprint 4.0 targets AI solutions for women's SHG finance, and OCP 8.0 is limited to ESDM-related deep-tech.
Deadlines vary. OCP 8.0 closes on 9 August 2026 and Swanari TechSprint 4.0 on 15 August 2026 — both within the next fortnight. The Wellcome Prize has a 15 September 2026 cutoff. The remaining seven programs accept applications on a rolling basis, but most operate in cohorts, so early submission is still advisable.
