Pitch 2Konnect – KonguTBI × KVB Prototype-to-Market Grant
Kongu Engineering College द्वारा
अपनी पात्रता जांचें
साइन अप करें और हम आपको बताएंगे कि आपका स्टार्टअप इस ग्रांट के लिए योग्य है या नहीं।
त्वरित उत्तर
KonguTBI and KVB invite early-stage startups with groundbreaking prototypes to apply for a pre-seed grant of up to ₹20 Lakhs, structured mentorship, and full incubation support to bring innovations to market.
- फंडिंग राशि
- ₹20 Lakhs तक
- फंडिंग प्रकार
- अनुदान
- प्रदाता
- Kongu Engineering College
- आवेदन की अंतिम तिथि
- 26d — 25 Oct 2026
- स्थान
- भारत में पंजीकृत स्टार्टअप्स के लिए खुला
इस ग्रांट के बारे में
The PITCH 2KONNECT program, a collaborative initiative by KonguTBI (TBI@KEC, Kongu Engineering College) and Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) through its CSR efforts, aims to empower early-stage technology startups with groundbreaking prototypes or products. This grant support is specifically designed to help innovators evolve their solutions into market-ready enterprises with significant commercialization potential.
The program is structured to help startups achieve four critical milestones: product development and technology validation, pilot deployment and market validation, certifications and regulatory compliance, and manufacturing readiness and commercialization. It seeks to bridge early-stage funding gaps, strengthen customer adoption, accelerate revenue growth, and position ventures for follow-on investment by providing pre-seed funding.
Selected startups gain full access to KonguTBI's comprehensive innovation ecosystem. This includes structured mentoring from domain experts, access to specialized technical infrastructure and lab facilities, strong corporate networks, and direct investor connections, along with strategic market access. The program is a growth catalyst, designed to build a pipeline of scalable, technology-led ventures capable of driving meaningful economic, environmental, and societal impact.
This initiative prioritizes innovations with direct impact across strategic sectors aligned with national and global sustainability goals. These include Climate Innovation, Energy Usage & Efficiency, Biodiversity Loss Prevention, Waste Disposal & Management, Carbon Footprints & Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Agriculture & Sustainable Rural Economy. The program funds ventures that combine technological novelty with measurable real-world outcomes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — core innovation, social impact, climate and environmental impact, and economic growth.
KonguTBI looks for startups demonstrating core attributes across their team, product, and strategy. This includes committed founders with relevant domain expertise, a validated problem statement, defensible technology (patent filed, published, granted, or intent to file), clear technical feasibility, large market potential, early traction through pilots or customer engagement, a credible commercial strategy, and realistic, measurable operational targets achievable within 12 months with the grant funding.
पात्रता
देखें कि आप पात्र हैं या नहीं
पूरी पात्रता शर्तें — संस्था प्रकार, स्टेज, क्षेत्र, फाउंडर प्रोफ़ाइल और पंजीकरण आवश्यकताएं — साथ ही इस प्रोग्राम के लिए आपकी फ़िट। देखने के लिए साइन अप करें।
Grant providers
Kongu Engineering College in Perundurai, Erode, Tamil Nadu hosts TBI@KEC — the Technology Business Incubator set up on its campus in 2003 as a joint venture between the college and NSTEDB/DST, Government of India. The incubator has its own site, its own premises on the campus…
Learn moreThe Karur Vysya Bank Limited is a private sector bank founded in 1916 and headquartered in Karur. It operates 888 branches, with total assets of approximately Rs 119,367.42 crore on the latest published figures. Karur Vysya Bank was founded in 1916 in Karur, Tamil Nadu, and…
Learn moreलाभ और फंडिंग
- राशि
- ₹20 Lakhs तक
- फंड प्रकार
- अनुदान
- इक्विटी
- इक्विटी-मुक्त
- चुकौती
- गैर-चुकौती
आपको क्या मिलेगा
The PITCH 2KONNECT program offers a pre-seed grant of up to ₹20 Lakhs per selected startup. This financial support is crucial for technology-driven startups to accelerate product development and achieve critical milestones. The grant is disbursed in milestone-based instalments, contingent on satisfactory progress reviews at each phase, ensuring funds are aligned with verifiable achievements.
Beyond funding, startups receive comprehensive support as active resident incubatees of KonguTBI for a 12-month project duration. This includes structured mentoring from domain experts covering technology, business, finance, and market strategies. Beneficiaries gain full access to KonguTBI's advanced innovation ecosystem, encompassing specialized technical infrastructure and lab facilities for product development and testing. The program facilitates corporate networks and industry connections, providing strategic market access opportunities. Startups also benefit from direct investor connections, including exclusive Demo Days and investor pitches, to secure follow-on capital. Support for certifications and regulatory compliance, as well as IP-related costs like patent filing, is also covered under permissible expenses. Overall, the program acts as a growth catalyst, helping bridge funding gaps and positioning startups for successful commercialization and investment readiness.
- वितरण
- Milestone Based
- अवधि
- 12 महीने
- फंडिंग स्रोत
- CSR वित्त पोषित
- बूटस्ट्रैप अनुकूल
- हाँ
समयसीमा और प्रक्रिया
चयन प्रक्रिया
The selection for grant support under the PITCH 2KONNECT program involves a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation process designed to identify high-potential technology-driven startups. The process begins with an Online Call for Applications, where startups are sourced through various channels including social media, partner events, and institutional outreach.
Following application submission, an Application Shortlisting phase is conducted. During this stage, an internal committee at TBI@KEC, alongside host institution experts, performs an initial eligibility screening and a comprehensive review of all applications.
Promising startups from the shortlisting stage are then invited by the Selection Committee for a Final Pitch round. This stage allows startups to present their prototype, commercialization roadmap, team capabilities, and detailed project plan to the committee. Final funding decisions are subject to the evaluation and ultimate approval by a designated Investment Committee. The Investment Committee assesses the venture's attributes, including committed founders, a validated problem, defensible technology, technical feasibility, market potential, early traction, commercial strategy, and well-defined, realistic milestones achievable within the 12-month grant period.
आवेदन प्रक्रिया
- 1
Submit Application
Startups complete and submit the online application form and all mandatory documents.
आप - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
आवेदन कैसे करें
ड्राफ़्ट से वितरण तक चार चरण — हर चरण में एक कार्रवाई।
- 1
अपना आवेदन ड्राफ़्ट करें
ग्रांट ट्रैकर के अंदर फ़ॉर्म भरें — AI आपके पिछले उत्तरों का उपयोग करके हर उत्तर का ड्राफ़्ट बनाता है, ताकि आपको खाली पन्ने से शुरुआत न करनी पड़े।
- 2
शुरू करने से पहले प्रश्न देखें
इस कार्यक्रम के आवेदन फ़ॉर्म में पूछे जाने वाले सभी प्रश्न डाउनलोड करें, ताकि पोर्टल खोलने से पहले आप अपने उत्तर ऑफ़लाइन तैयार कर सकें।
- 3
अपने दस्तावेज़ तैयार करें
चेकलिस्ट के हर दस्तावेज़ को एक ही फ़ोल्डर में तैयार रखें। दस्तावेज़ों की कमी आवेदन खारिज होने का सबसे बड़ा कारण है।
- 4
आधिकारिक पोर्टल पर जमा करें
आधिकारिक आवेदन लिंक का उपयोग करें और अंतिम रूप से जमा करने से पहले सभी विवरण सत्यापित करें।
- 5
फ़ॉलो अप करें
जमा करने के 5–7 दिन बाद प्राप्ति की पुष्टि और समीक्षा समयरेखा के बारे में पूछने के लिए संपर्क करें।
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न
Are there specific limits on how the contingency fund may be spent?
Yes. The contingency fund is reserved exclusively for unforeseen project expenses or price fluctuations in raw materials. It is capped at a maximum of 10% of the total approved grant amount and cannot be used for planned or foreseen expenditure.
What happens if a startup fails to achieve a milestone within the proposed timeline?
Since the grant is released in milestone-based instalments, a delay in milestone achievement will pause subsequent disbursements. The KonguTBI review committee will assess the situation and may offer mentorship support and a formal timeline extension. Founders must submit a formal extension request at least 15 days before the affected milestone deadline.
Can a startup that has already received any other grant/CSR apply for this grant?
Yes, conditionally. Applicants are eligible only if the proposed project focuses on an entirely new objective, a distinct technology advancement, or a different scope of work (milestone). Prior cumulative grant support must not exceed ₹25 Lakhs. The evaluation committee will audit previous funding allocations to ensure there is no financial overlap.
How are milestone reviews conducted before each instalment release?
The Investment Committee schedules a formal progress review at the close of each milestone phase. Founders must present a technical progress report, demonstrate the relevant deliverable, and submit supporting expenditure documentation to verify that milestone goals have been met and that grant funds have been used for permissible heads only.
What documentation is required to prove proper fund utilisation?
Startups must maintain a dedicated bank account exclusively for this grant project, along with the startup's own contribution. A Utilisation Certificate (UC) and a detailed Expenditure Statement, signed and verified by an independent, practising Chartered Accountant (CA), must be submitted for all permissible expenditure categories at each instalment stage.
How is a successful outcome defined under this programme?
Programme success is measured by the venture's ability to transition from prototype to commercial enterprise. Key metrics include achieving a TRL of 8 or 9, a successful product launch, market validation, sustainable revenue generation, and demonstrated readiness for follow-on Angel, Venture Capital, or institutional funding.
Will KonguTBI showcase successful startups to investors?
Yes. Startups that successfully meet their milestone outcomes will be featured in exclusive Demo Days, corporate networking events, and investor pitches organised by KonguTBI — providing direct channels to secure commercial scale-up capital and strategic customer partnerships.
Is co-incubation or multi-incubation permitted under this programme?
Yes. Co-incubation or multi-incubation is permitted, provided there is no overlapping financial conflict or duplication of grant funding for the same project objective, scope, or milestones.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
