GDC, IIT Madras
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Entrepreneurship centre at IIT Madras running customer-discovery bootcamps for STEM research teams from across India.
GDC, IIT Madras at a glance
| Part of | Indian Institute of Technology Madras |
|---|---|
| Established | 2017 |
| Address | Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, S7, II Floor, Sudha & Shankar Innovation Hub, IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, Tamil Nadu |
| Programmes | 10 standing programmes · 1 open call right now |
| Stages supported | Idea, Prototype, MVP, Early revenue |
| Equity | None taken — all 10 programmes that state a policy |
| Official website | gdciitm.org |
| office.admin@gdciitm.org |
Programs by GDC, IIT Madras
1 open now · 1 past · Filter all programs
आगे क्या?
यह काफ़ी पहले बंद हुआ था और हमें नहीं पता कि यह फिर चलेगा या नहीं। "मुझे बताएँ" दबाएँ, चलने पर हम ईमेल करेंगे।
Which GDC, IIT Madras programme fits you
10 programmes compared by who they are for, the stage they accept, how long they run and what they cost.
By stage
- Idea
- I-NCUBATE, I-NITIATE, I-NDUCT, Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program
- Prototype
- I-NCUBATE, I-NSPIRE, I-GNITE, DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program, FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program, Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program
- MVP
- I-NSPIRE, I-GNITE, DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program, FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program, Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program
- Early revenue
- FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program
| Programme | Best for | Stage | Duration | Format | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-NCUBATE | Faculty, researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs at STEM universities with a research idea or innovation in the lab | Idea – Prototype | 8 weeks | Hybrid | No equity |
| I-NITIATE | STEM faculty, researchers and students weighing up whether to found a startup | Idea | 2 weeks | Hybrid | No equity |
| I-NDUCT | STEM faculty at TRL 2-3 with one or two researchers, new to entrepreneurship | Idea | 3 days | In person | No equity |
| I-NSPIRE | Founders of science-based, pre-revenue startups at a university or incubator | Prototype – MVP | 3-6 weeks | Hybrid | No equity |
| I-GNITE | I-NCUBATE alumni teams with a validated problem-solution fit and a committed founding team | Prototype – MVP | 3 to 12 months | Hybrid | No equity |
| I-MMERSE | Entrepreneurs and professionals who want to co-found a deep-tech startup with university researchers | — | — | In person | No equity |
| I-DEATE | Principal investigators writing a translational research proposal | — | 30-60 days | — | No equity |
| DST-GDC I-NCUBATE ProgramWith Department of Science & Technology, Government of India | Deep-tech research teams and early-stage startups at TRL 3-5 from Indian universities, labs and incubators | Prototype – MVP | 8 weeks per cohort | Hybrid | Free, no equity |
| FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE ProgramWith FedEx SMART Center, IIT Madras | India-registered logistics and supply chain startups at TRL 3-5 with no external equity investors | Prototype – Early revenue | 8 weeks | Hybrid | No equity |
| Shell-GDC I-GNITE ProgramWith Shell GameChanger | Indian startups and research teams at TRL 2-4 building AI for science applied to decarbonisation | Idea – MVP | 8 months | Hybrid | No equity |
Track record
What GDC, IIT Madras reports about its portfolio.
GDC's counters are self-reported, undated, and do not agree across its own pages. Treat them as its own claims rather than measured figures.
All figures self-reported — gdciitm.org, as of Sept 2026.
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at GDC, IIT Madras, separate from the funding calls above.
GDC runs seven programmes of its own, laid out along a founder's journey from a three-day introduction to a twelve-month mentoring engagement, plus three co-branded ones with the Department of Science & Technology, the FedEx SMART Center and Shell GameChanger. The co-branded programmes are the ones with published open calls, dated cohorts and a formal selection process.
I-NCUBATE
ProgrammeEight-week customer discovery bootcamp for lab-stage research teams from STEM universities.
Best for: Faculty, researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs at STEM universities with a research idea or innovation in the lab
- Idea – Prototype
- 8 weeks
- Hybrid
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-NCUBATE is GDC's flagship programme and the one most of its alumni teams came through. A cohort is about ten teams, and each team spends eight weeks running a structured customer discovery exercise, meeting more than 100 customers and stakeholders. The aim is a clear Go or No-Go on the idea, backed by evidence rather than conviction.
What you get
- A structured Lean Startup customer discovery exercise over eight weeks.
- A business mentor from GDC's network attached to your team.
- Training across business tools, entrepreneurial skills and communication.
- A first-hand read on customer needs, and the inputs to shape a minimum viable product and a business model.
Who can apply
- Faculty, researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs at STEM universities working on a research idea or innovation in the lab.
- A team is a Faculty Lead plus at least three Entrepreneur Leads.
How to apply: The programme page carries a short expression-of-interest form asking for your institute, your lab or department, a profile link, your research idea and the stage it is at. GDC contacts you about the next cohort.
I-NITIATE
ProgrammeTwo-week immersion that helps STEM faculty, researchers and students judge whether they are ready to be founders.
Best for: STEM faculty, researchers and students weighing up whether to found a startup
- Idea
- 2 weeks
- Hybrid
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-NITIATE is about the person, not the idea. It asks academics to look at their own motivations, fears and constraints and to decide when, or whether, to start a company — and it builds the business understanding needed to make that call.
What you get
- An online onboarding session, three days of in-person workshops, an online webinar, two or three online office hours per team, and a closing in-person workshop.
- Critical thinking skills to weigh entrepreneurship as a career option against your own goals and constraints.
Who can apply
- STEM faculty, researchers and students.
- Expect to commit half your working hours for 15 days.
How to apply: The programme page carries a direct application link.
I-NDUCT
ProgrammeThree-day experiential programme introducing STEM faculty and their students to what running a startup demands.
Best for: STEM faculty at TRL 2-3 with one or two researchers, new to entrepreneurship
- Idea
- 3 days
- In person
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-NDUCT is the shortest programme GDC runs and the first rung of the ladder. Over three days it pushes a researcher to think hard about their own motivations and anxieties around becoming an entrepreneur, and introduces the business acumen that technical training does not cover. Teams that want to carry on move to I-NCUBATE.
Who can apply
- A faculty member at a STEM university with lab technology at TRL 2 or TRL 3 who is considering a first startup.
- One or two researchers or students who want to build it with them.
- Teams with little prior exposure to entrepreneurship or business concepts.
How to apply: The programme page is descriptive and carries no form. Use the GDC office inbox to ask when the next cohort runs.
I-NSPIRE
ProgrammeThree to six week programme for founders of science-based, pre-revenue startups at a university or incubator.
Best for: Founders of science-based, pre-revenue startups at a university or incubator
- Prototype – MVP
- 3-6 weeks
- Hybrid
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-NSPIRE is for founders who already have a science-based startup but cannot yet see their customer or revenue potential clearly. Teams define the core problem they are solving and work out what a problem-solution fit would actually look like. GDC is explicit that this is not a step before I-NCUBATE — the two are designed for different kinds of team at a similar stage.
What you get
- A business mentor from GDC's network.
- Structured contact with 30 to 50 potential customers and stakeholders.
- Sharper value propositions for the customer segments you choose, and a way to size your market.
Who can apply
- Aspiring entrepreneurs or founders of early-stage startups at a university or an incubator.
- A team is at least two Entrepreneur Leads, one of them the technical lead.
How to apply: The programme page carries an expression-of-interest form covering your institute, department, profile link, idea and stage.
I-GNITE
ProgrammeInvitation-only mentoring for teams that came out of I-NCUBATE with a problem-solution fit.
Best for: I-NCUBATE alumni teams with a validated problem-solution fit and a committed founding team
- Prototype – MVP
- 3 to 12 months
- Hybrid
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-GNITE is not open to applications. GDC evaluates teams finishing an I-NCUBATE cohort and selects some of them for a longer mentoring engagement, lasting anywhere from three to twelve months. The goal is to move the technology from TRL3 towards TRL6 and get the startup to a point where commercial investors will take it seriously.
What you get
- Active mentoring of the founding team over several months.
- Support on validating a minimum viable product, finding product-market fit and a business model fit, writing a business plan and setting up core organisational processes.
Who can apply
- Only teams that have completed I-NCUBATE, found a problem-solution fit through customer discovery, and have a founding team committed to carrying the startup forward.
How selection works: GDC evaluates the startup and the founding team at the end of an I-NCUBATE cohort and invites some of them in.
I-MMERSE
FellowshipEntrepreneur-in-residence route that pairs entrepreneurs with university faculty to form a founding team.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and professionals who want to co-found a deep-tech startup with university researchers
- In person
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-MMERSE brings experienced entrepreneurs and young professionals who have decided on a career in entrepreneurship into GDC full time. GDC pairs them with faculty and researchers working on research projects in areas where their interests and expertise overlap. Once a team forms, it applies to I-NCUBATE or I-NSPIRE together. More experienced entrepreneurs in the programme typically also mentor cohort teams or work as CXOs with I-GNITE startups.
Who can apply
- Experienced entrepreneurs and young professionals committed to a career in entrepreneurship.
- Residents are expected to work full time with GDC.
How to apply: The programme page carries an enquiry form.
I-DEATE
ProgrammeStakeholder consultation exercise that helps a principal investigator shape a translational research proposal.
Best for: Principal investigators writing a translational research proposal
- 30-60 days
- No equity
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
I-DEATE is not a startup programme. It is a 30 to 60 day consultation run at the conception stage of a translational research proposal, bringing in the views of beneficiaries, partners, industry players and policy makers so the proposal's scope, methodology and stated outcomes reflect what stakeholders actually need. GDC positions it as a way to improve a proposal's chances with its sponsor.
Who can apply
- A principal investigator and their team preparing a translational research proposal.
How to apply: The programme page carries an enquiry form.
DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program
ProgrammeFree eight-week deep-tech bootcamp run with the Department of Science & Technology for research teams at TRL 3-5.
Best for: Deep-tech research teams and early-stage startups at TRL 3-5 from Indian universities, labs and incubators
- Prototype – MVP
- 8 weeks per cohort
- Hybrid
- Free, no equity
With Department of Science & Technology, Government of India
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
A joint programme with the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, launched in September 2024. It identifies deep-tech startups and translational research projects based on STEM research at Indian universities and labs and puts them through the I-NCUBATE eight-week customer discovery bootcamp. Ten cohorts are planned in the first phase, each of about ten teams.
What you get
- Structured sessions led by instructors, plus one-on-one input from an experienced business mentor for each team.
- Free participation.
- Travel reimbursement for the journey to IIT Madras, up to a stated cap.
- Complimentary lodging and boarding on the IIT Madras campus for the in-person workshop days.
- No funding — the programme states plainly that it provides none.
Who can apply
- Translational research projects or early-stage startups from Indian universities, research labs and incubators.
- Teams at TRL 3, 4 or 5 with a working prototype or other acceptable proof of technology.
- Any domain of science and technology, provided the startup is rooted in the team's own STEM research.
- A technology expert — a faculty member, scientist or principal investigator at a lab — plus at least two entrepreneurs, who may be researchers, students or employees.
- Members must have worked on the innovation together for at least six months before applying.
- Registered intellectual property, or the intent and capability to create it.
How selection works: You submit the application form, GDC reviews it, and if you meet the criteria a selection committee invites you for an interview. Selected teams get a selection letter and are then onboarded into the cohort.
How to apply: Watch the programme information video on the DST programme page all the way through — the application link only appears once it ends, and skipping or dragging through it will not unlock it. Faculty leads should expect to give at least 40 hours across the eight weeks; entrepreneur leads at least 50 hours of instruction plus half their working hours each week.
FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program
AcceleratorEight-week bootcamp with the FedEx SMART Center for India-registered logistics and supply chain startups.
Best for: India-registered logistics and supply chain startups at TRL 3-5 with no external equity investors
- Prototype – Early revenue
- 8 weeks
- Hybrid
- No equity
- Grant support for selected startups
With FedEx SMART Center, IIT Madras
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Run with the IIT Madras-led FedEx SMART Center, this is the I-NCUBATE bootcamp pointed at logistics and supply chain. About ten startups take part over eight weeks, with the first three to four days in person at IIT Madras and the rest online, and each team runs roughly 100 stakeholder interviews. It ends with a Demo Day at the FedEx SMART Center.
What you get
- Entrepreneurial thinking and mindset training over eight weeks.
- A dedicated business mentor per startup.
- Access to the FedEx SMART Center and the wider IIT Madras ecosystem.
- A Demo Day at IIT Madras, where a selected set of startups present.
- Startups that perform well may be considered for grant support from the FedEx SMART Center, subject to its own eligibility criteria.
Who can apply
- India-registered startups at pre-revenue or at-revenue stage, with no external equity investors.
- Teams at TRL 3 to 5 building technology for the logistics and supply chain sector — digital commerce, cold chain, fraud and KYC, logistics technology, cross-border enablement, sustainability, worker wellness, logistics infrastructure, or AI and machine learning in the logistics value chain.
- At least two founders must take part.
How selection works: Register for and attend the online Open House, which releases the application form to you. GDC reviews submissions, and a selection committee interviews teams that meet the qualifying criteria.
How to apply: Start from the registration link on the programme page. Expect to give about half your time continuously across the eight weeks; selected startups sign GDC's code of conduct.
Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program
AcceleratorEight-month AI-for-science programme with Shell GameChanger on energy decarbonisation — applications closed.
Best for: Indian startups and research teams at TRL 2-4 building AI for science applied to decarbonisation
- Idea – MVP
- 8 months
- Hybrid
- No equity
- Grant support for selected startups
With Shell GameChanger
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Applications for this programme were closed when this page was last checked. It ran with Shell GameChanger from December 2025 to July 2026, for early-stage Indian startups and late-stage translational research teams at TRL 2 to 4 building AI-based innovations in science with low-carbon applications.
What you get
- Entrepreneurship training and business mentorship across three phases, two of them about eight weeks each.
- Access to Shell's technical network and manufacturing resources.
- Grant support for promising teams after Phase 2, and further grant support for proof-of-concept development after Phase 3.
- A pitch to Shell at the end for possible collaboration and investment.
Who can apply
- Early-stage Indian startups and pre-incubated research teams from Indian STEM institutions and incubators.
- Pre-incubated teams must incorporate a company by the end of Phase 2 to continue into Phase 3.
How selection works: Registration, then access to the application form, review, a selection-committee interview, and an offer to join.
Incubation tracks
The routes into GDC, IIT Madras, and what each one includes.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DST-GDC I-NCUBATE ProgramBootcamp for early-stage start-up teams from university labs, to enable the lab-to-market transformation of research ideas into deep-tech start-ups. | Pre-incubation | — | customer discovery exercise, business tools and techniques, entrepreneurial skills |
| I-NITIATEHelps students and researchers evaluate their readiness to become founders and gain a deeper understanding of the market before launching a startup based on academic research or ideas. | Pre-incubation | — | — |
| I-NSPIREAimed at founders of science-based startups at the pre-revenue stage, where the startup lacks full visibility of customer or revenue potential, and the founders are uncertain if the early success of customer wins is repeatable and sustainable. | Pre-incubation | — | — |
| I-GNITE4–6-week boot camp aimed at founders of science-based, pre-revenue startups with limited visibility into customer or revenue potential, focusing on scaling the startup and addressing concerns about the sustainability of early success. | Acceleration | — | — |
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
Business advisory
Every cohort team is assigned a business mentor from GDC's network for one-on-one input through the programme.
Market access
The core of every programme is a structured customer discovery exercise — 100+ customer and stakeholder conversations on I-NCUBATE, 30 to 50 on I-NSPIRE.
Recognitions & empanelments
Official approvals this incubator holds.
How to apply to GDC, IIT Madras
वह कार्यक्रम चुनें जो आपकी स्थिति से मेल खाए
GDC के कार्यक्रम एक सीढ़ी पर बैठे हैं, और गलत पायदान पर आवेदन करना सबसे आम गलती है। अगर आप फैकल्टी सदस्य या शोधकर्ता हैं और अभी तक गंभीरता से नहीं सोचा कि क्या आप संस्थापक बनना चाहते हैं, तो I-NDUCT (तीन दिन) या I-NITIATE (दो सप्ताह) से शुरुआत करें, दोनों आपके बारे में हैं, आपके विचार के बारे में नहीं। अगर आपके लैब में पहले से कोई शोध विचार है और आप जानना चाहते हैं कि कोई उसे खरीदेगा या नहीं, तो I-NCUBATE आठ-सप्ताह का बूटकैंप इसके लिए है। अगर आप विज्ञान-आधारित, प्री-रेवेन्यू स्टार्टअप के पहले से संस्थापक हैं, तो I-NSPIRE देखें। GDC साफ़ कहता है कि I-NSPIRE, I-NCUBATE से पहले का कदम नहीं है, ये एक जैसे चरण की अलग टीमों के लिए हैं।
आप I-GNITE में आवेदन नहीं कर सकते। GDC उन टीमों में से चुनता है जिन्होंने I-NCUBATE समाप्त किया हो, जिनमें समस्या-समाधान फिट हो और संस्थापक टीम आगे बढ़ने का इरादा रखती हो।
सामान्य कार्यक्रमों से पहले सह-ब्रांडेड कार्यक्रम देखें
DST-GDC I-NCUBATE कार्यक्रम और FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE कार्यक्रम में प्रकाशित तारीखों, पात्रता और चयन प्रक्रिया के साथ सही खुले आवेदन होते हैं, जो GDC के अपने कार्यक्रम पेजों पर नहीं मिलते। अगर आपकी टीम इनमें से किसी में फिट होती है, तो वह स्पष्ट रास्ता है। DST कार्यक्रम किसी भी विज्ञान या प्रौद्योगिकी डोमेन के लिए खुला है। FedEx कार्यक्रम केवल लॉजिस्टिक्स और सप्लाई चेन के काम के लिए है, और केवल उन भारत-पंजीकृत स्टार्टअप्स के लिए जिनमें कोई बाहरी इक्विटी निवेशक न हो।
आवेदन कैसे काम करते हैं
GDC के अपने कार्यक्रमों के लिए ज़्यादातर पेजों पर आवेदन के बजाय रुचि-अभिव्यक्ति (expression-of-interest) फॉर्म होता है: नाम, ईमेल, फ़ोन, आपका संस्थान, आपकी लैब या विभाग, आपकी प्रोफ़ाइल का लिंक, आपका शोध विचार या नवाचार क्या है, और वह किस चरण पर है। यह भरें और GDC अगले कोहोर्ट के बारे में आपसे संपर्क करेगा। I-NITIATE में सीधा आवेदन लिंक है।
DST कार्यक्रम के लिए आवेदन लिंक दिखने से पहले आपको कार्यक्रम की जानकारी वाला वीडियो पूरा देखना होगा। बीच में छोड़ने या आगे खिसकाने से लिंक नहीं खुलेगा। FedEx कार्यक्रम के लिए आप ऑनलाइन Open House सत्र के लिए पंजीकरण करके उसमें भाग लेते हैं, और उसके बाद आवेदन फॉर्म आपको दिया जाता है।
चयन कैसे काम करता है
सह-ब्रांडेड कार्यक्रम एक जैसे तीन चरण चलाते हैं: आप फॉर्म जमा करते हैं, GDC उसकी समीक्षा करता है, और अगर आप मानदंड पूरे करते हैं तो एक चयन समिति आपका इंटरव्यू लेती है। चुनी गई टीमों को चयन पत्र मिलता है और वे कोहोर्ट में शामिल होती हैं। कोहोर्ट लगभग दस टीमों का होता है, इसलिए असली छलनी इंटरव्यू ही है।
समीक्षक क्या देखते हैं
संस्थापक नहीं, टीम लेकर आएँ। GDC अपने कोहोर्ट एक खास ढाँचे पर बनाता है: एक तकनीकी लीड जो फैकल्टी सदस्य, वैज्ञानिक या प्रिंसिपल इन्वेस्टिगेटर हो, साथ में कम से कम दो-तीन ऐसे लोग जो वास्तव में ग्राहक इंटरव्यू करेंगे। DST कार्यक्रम यह भी माँगता है कि टीम आवेदन से पहले कम से कम छह महीने से नवाचार पर साथ काम कर रही हो, इसलिए आवेदन के लिए जल्दबाज़ी में बनाई गई टीम अच्छी नहीं दिखेगी।
तकनीकी तैयारी के बारे में ईमानदार रहें। DST कार्यशील प्रोटोटाइप या स्वीकार्य तकनीकी प्रमाण के साथ TRL 3 से 5 माँगता है; FedEx भी TRL 3 से 5 माँगता है। जितनी परिपक्वता है उससे ज़्यादा का दावा इंटरव्यू में आसानी से पकड़ा जाता है।
दिखाएँ कि आप समय दे सकते हैं। DST और FedEx दोनों कार्यक्रम अपने अपेक्षित घंटे पहले से बताते हैं, और दोनों भारी हैं: एंट्रप्रेन्योर लीड के लिए आठ सप्ताह तक लगभग आधा कार्य-सप्ताह। GDC इसे फुटनोट नहीं, बल्कि योग्यता का मानदंड मानता है, और FedEx कार्यक्रम चुने गए स्टार्टअप्स से आचार संहिता पर हस्ताक्षर माँगता है।
बौद्धिक संपदा के बारे में कुछ कहें। DST कार्यक्रम पंजीकृत IP या उसे बनाने की विश्वसनीय योजना और क्षमता माँगता है।
जानें कि आपको क्या मिलेगा और क्या नहीं
GDC कहता है कि वह इन्क्यूबेटर या एक्सेलेरेटर नहीं है और स्टार्टअप्स में निवेश या उन्हें फंड नहीं करता। आप प्रशिक्षण, मेंटरशिप और एक संरचित ग्राहक-खोज अभ्यास के लिए आवेदन कर रहे हैं, जगह या चेक के लिए नहीं। जहाँ पैसा आता है वह GDC से नहीं, साझेदार से आता है: FedEx कार्यक्रम कहता है कि अच्छा प्रदर्शन करने वाले स्टार्टअप्स को FedEx SMART सेंटर से अनुदान के लिए विचार किया जा सकता है, और DST कार्यक्रम साफ़ कहता है कि कोई फंडिंग नहीं दी जाती। अगर आपको पूंजी चाहिए, तो तैयारी के लिए GDC में आवेदन करें और फंडिंग के लिए कहीं और देखें।
उनसे पुष्टि करने योग्य कुछ बातें
कई पेजों पर पुरानी तारीखें हैं: DST पेज अभी भी एक मौजूदा खुले कॉल के बगल में 2025 के कोहोर्ट शुरुआत की तारीखें दिखाता है। किसी भी तारीख के आधार पर योजना बनाने से पहले ऑफिस को ईमेल करें।
About GDC, IIT Madras
The Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GDC) is an entrepreneurship centre at IIT Madras, Chennai, launched in 2017. It runs short, cohort-based bootcamps that take STEM research teams from universities across India through customer discovery, so they can work out whether the science in their lab can become a company. GDC says in its own words that it is not an incubator or a business accelerator, that it does not invest in or fund startups, and that it works on philanthropic grants to cover its expenses.
The centre is alumni-funded. GDC's grants come from three IIT Madras alumni, Dr. Gururaj Deshpande, Mrs. Jaishree Deshpande and Mr. 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan, and the centre sits alongside the other Deshpande Foundation innovation centres at MIT, the University of New Brunswick and Queen's University. Its own charter describes the mandate as increasing the impact of research spending at STEM universities in India by building capacity to commercialise research through a 'Lab to Market' mission.
How the programmes work
Every GDC programme is built on the Lean Startup method. Teams are put through a structured customer discovery exercise rather than being given space, money or a desk. In I-NCUBATE, the flagship eight-week bootcamp, a cohort is about ten teams and each team is expected to meet more than 100 customers and stakeholders before the cohort closes. The point of the exercise is a Go or No-Go decision on the idea, backed by first-hand evidence, plus the inputs needed to shape a minimum viable product and a business model.
The programmes are laid out along a founder's journey rather than as alternatives. I-NDUCT is a three-day introduction for a faculty member and one or two researchers who have barely thought about entrepreneurship. I-NITIATE is a two-week immersion that asks whether the participant is ready to be a founder at all. I-NCUBATE is the eight-week customer discovery bootcamp. I-NSPIRE runs three to six weeks for founders of science-based, pre-revenue startups, with teams meeting 30 to 50 customers. GDC is explicit that I-NSPIRE does not come before I-NCUBATE; the two are for different kinds of team at a similar point. I-GNITE is not an open application: GDC picks teams that came out of I-NCUBATE with a problem-solution fit and a committed founding team, and mentors them for three to twelve months to move the technology from TRL3 towards TRL6.
Two more sit off to the side. I-MMERSE is an entrepreneur-in-residence route that pairs entrepreneurs with university faculty to form a balanced founding team, which then applies to I-NCUBATE or I-NSPIRE together. I-DEATE is a 30 to 60 day stakeholder consultation for a principal investigator writing a translational research proposal, aimed at improving its chances with a funder.
Alongside its own programmes, GDC runs three co-branded ones. The DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program with the Department of Science & Technology was launched in September 2024 and is free to join, with travel reimbursement and campus lodging for the in-person days but no funding attached. The FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program, run with the IIT Madras-led FedEx SMART Center, is an eight-week bootcamp for logistics and supply chain startups ending in a Demo Day. The Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program with Shell GameChanger, for AI-for-science teams working on decarbonisation, ran from December 2025 and its applications had closed by the time this page was checked.
Who can apply
GDC works with STEM institutions across India, not only IIT Madras. Its own alumni teams have come from IISc Bengaluru, IIT Palakkad, IIT Jodhpur, IIITDM Kancheepuram, VIT Vellore, BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, NIMHANS, M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology and Kongu Engineering College, among others.
The composition of the team matters more than incorporation. An I-NCUBATE team is a Faculty Lead plus at least three Entrepreneur Leads, with a business mentor from GDC's network attached. An I-NSPIRE team is at least two Entrepreneur Leads, one of them technical. The DST programme asks for a technology expert, meaning a faculty member, scientist or principal investigator at a lab, plus at least two entrepreneurs who may be researchers, students or employees, and requires that they have worked on the innovation together for at least six months before applying. It expects teams at TRL 3 to 5 with a working prototype or other proof of technology, and either registered intellectual property or the intent and capability to create it. The FedEx programme is different again: it wants India-registered startups at pre-revenue or at-revenue stage with no external equity investors, and asks that at least two founders take part.
Time commitment is the real gate. The DST programme asks faculty leads for at least 40 hours across the eight weeks and entrepreneur leads for at least 50 hours of instruction plus half of their working hours each week. I-NITIATE asks for half of a participant's working hours for 15 days.
Scale
GDC's own cumulative counter reads 77 cohorts, 627 teams trained, 2,377 participants, 517 faculty members and 141 STEM colleges, with women making up 26.88 per cent of participants. Its pages do not agree with each other on these: the FedEx page says over 200 institutions and over 608 startup teams, while the Shell page says over 500 teams. The centre also says nearly 200 of those teams went on to launch startups. None of the counters carry a date. Named alumni teams include Tan90, GalaxEye, Thermelgy, H2Next, EON Space Labs, Sakar Robotics, Cellverse, Rail Labs, MachIntell, VayuJal Technologies and Wankel Energy Systems.
Who runs it
R. Raghuttama Rao is the CEO. Prof. Krishnan Balasubramanian, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Madras, is Professor In-Charge. The steering committee includes Dr. Gururaj Deshpande, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, the Director of IIT Madras Prof. V. Kamakoti, former Director Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi, and the IIT Madras Deans of Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research and Alumni & Corporate Relations.
Location
GDC's office is at S7, second floor, Sudha & Shankar Innovation Hub, IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036. In-person workshop days for the cohort programmes are held on the IIT Madras campus; the rest of each programme runs online. The site lists upcoming and past events, including an annual GDC symposium. There is no careers page.
Get in touch
Send a message to GDC, IIT Madras — we'll forward it on your behalf.
Who they work with
Stage
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Notable alumni
The team
R. Raghuttama Rao
मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी
Prof. Krishnan Balasubramanian
प्रोफेसर-इन-चार्ज, GDC; मैकेनिकल इंजीनियरिंग के प्रोफेसर, IIT मद्रास
Subramanian M
मुख्य मार्केटिंग अधिकारी
Anand KV
मुख्य नवाचार अधिकारी
M. Sairam
महाप्रबंधक
K. Surya Kumari
प्रोजेक्ट मैनेजर
Vinobiah B.
सीनियर प्रोग्राम मैनेजर
Roopali Patil
सीनियर एडमिन मैनेजर
Lakshmipriya
प्रोग्राम मैनेजर
Frequently asked questions about GDC, IIT Madras
What is GDC, IIT Madras?
GDC, IIT Madras is an academic institution based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
What does GDC, IIT Madras do?
The Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GDC) is an entrepreneurship centre at IIT Madras, Chennai, launched in 2017.
Where is GDC, IIT Madras located?
GDC, IIT Madras is located at Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, S7, II Floor, Sudha & Shankar Innovation Hub, IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, Tamil Nadu.
What programs does GDC, IIT Madras run?
GDC, IIT Madras currently has 1 open programme: DST–GDC I-NCUBATE Program Cohort 10. 1 further programme has run in the past.
Is GDC, IIT Madras open to applications?
Yes. GDC, IIT Madras has 1 open programme right now, including DST–GDC I-NCUBATE Program Cohort 10. Check each programme's page for its deadline and eligibility.
Which GDC, IIT Madras programme should I apply to?
It depends on how far along your startup is. Idea stage: I-NCUBATE, I-NITIATE, I-NDUCT and Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program. Prototype stage: I-NCUBATE, I-NSPIRE, I-GNITE and DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program and others. MVP stage: I-NSPIRE, I-GNITE, DST-GDC I-NCUBATE Program and FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program and others. Early revenue stage: FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program. Check the programme's own eligibility before applying — several programmes are sector-specific.
Does GDC, IIT Madras take equity?
No. GDC, IIT Madras states that it takes no equity in I-NCUBATE, I-NITIATE, I-NDUCT, I-NSPIRE and I-GNITE and its other programmes that state a policy.
Does GDC, IIT Madras provide funding?
Selected startups in some GDC, IIT Madras programmes can receive grant support, including FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE Program and Shell-GDC I-GNITE Program. Grant amounts are set per programme and cohort, and selection into a programme does not guarantee a grant — check the programme's own page for current terms.
What sectors does GDC, IIT Madras support?
GDC, IIT Madras works with startups in Deep Tech, Science-Based Startups and Research Commercialization.
What stage of startup does GDC, IIT Madras support?
GDC, IIT Madras supports startups at the Ideation and Validation stages.
Is GDC, IIT Madras government recognised?
GDC, IIT Madras holds the following recognitions and affiliations: DST I-NCUBATE Program.
How do I apply to GDC, IIT Madras?
GDC के कार्यक्रम एक सीढ़ी पर बैठे हैं, और गलत पायदान पर आवेदन करना सबसे आम गलती है। अगर आप फैकल्टी सदस्य या शोधकर्ता हैं और अभी तक गंभीरता से नहीं सोचा कि क्या आप संस्थापक बनना चाहते हैं, तो I-NDUCT (तीन दिन) या I-NITIATE (दो सप्ताह) से शुरुआत करें, दोनों आपके बारे में हैं, आपके विचार के बारे में नहीं। अगर आपके लैब में पहले से कोई शोध विचार है और आप जानना चाहते हैं कि कोई उसे खरीदेगा या नहीं, तो I…
Who runs GDC, IIT Madras?
R. Raghuttama Rao (मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी), Prof. Krishnan Balasubramanian (प्रोफेसर-इन-चार्ज, GDC; मैकेनिकल इंजीनियरिंग के प्रोफेसर, IIT मद्रास) and Subramanian M (मुख्य मार्केटिंग अधिकारी).
When was GDC, IIT Madras founded?
GDC, IIT Madras was founded in 2017. It is an academic institution.
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