GUSEC

GUSEC's flagship incubation programme costs nothing to join — no incubation fee, no rent, and no equity taken just for being incubated. You get co-working space on the Gujarat University campus, mentorship from GUSEC's mentor board, help building and testing a prototype, and a route into GUSEC's grant and seed-funding schemes, most of which require GUSEC incubation first.

What you get

• Zero-cost co-working space, dedicated workstations and meeting rooms
• Mentorship and expert guidance across industry verticals
• Prototyping and product-development support
• Funding and investor-connect support, plus access to GUSEC's grant and seed schemes
• A startup community and events calendar

Who can apply: Early-stage founders, student entrepreneurs and innovators, working on tech and non-tech ideas.

How to apply: Apply through GUSEC's incubation portal. At the time of research, new applications had been paused while GUSEC upgraded the portal, with a waiting list open for founders who want to be notified when it reopens.

GUSEC Seed is GUSEC's own seed-investment route, run under the Department of Science and Technology's NIDHI Seed Support System. It invests in startups against equity, debt, or a mix of both, and applications are open on a rolling basis.

What you get: Seed investment against equity, debt, or a mix of both, released in tranches as you clear GUSEC's incubation milestones.

Who can apply: A registered Private Limited company or LLP in India, with Indian promoters holding at least 51%. You don't have to already be incubated at GUSEC to apply — applying is treated as an incubation application too — but funds only start releasing after three months of GUSEC incubation. Preference goes to technology-oriented, IP-rich, early-traction product startups, and to startups that have fully used up any earlier grant or funding support.

How selection works: An application window, a first-level screen, a second-level screen, selection and due diligence, then a soft confirmation.

How to apply: Apply through the GUSEC Seed page's online form. Questions go to seed@gusec.edu.in.

NIDHI EIR is a fellowship for a founder who wants to work full-time on a concept-stage technology idea, run under the Department of Science and Technology's NIDHI programme.

What you get: A monthly stipend for up to a year, plus free access to GUSEC's lab infrastructure, prototyping machinery, cloud credits and technical mentors.

Who can apply: An Indian citizen with a formal degree in science, engineering, technology or business administration, who can commit to the fellowship full-time — you can't hold another job or be enrolled in another academic programme at the same time.

How to apply: Apply through the NIDHI EIR page. Applications were closed at the time of research.

TIDE 2.0 is a MeitY-backed scheme for technology product-development startups, run through GUSEC's recognition as a Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs centre. It has two tracks: an entrepreneur-in-residence track for ideation and validation, and a grant-in-aid track for building an MVP.

What you get

• Ideation & Validation track: entrepreneur-in-residence support
• Prototype & MVP track: grant-in-aid funding to build a working product

Who can apply: An Indian citizen founder building a technology-focused product or solution — GUSEC names AI, blockchain, IoT, machine learning, big data/cloud and cybersecurity as its focus areas. A registered LLP or Pvt Ltd unlocks the higher funding bracket.

How to apply: Apply through the TIDE 2.0 page. Applications were closed at the time of research.

SSIP 2.0 is the Student Startup and Innovation Policy of the Government of Gujarat's Education Department, run through GUSEC for students and student-led startups.

What you get: A proof-of-concept and prototyping grant, patent and IP filing support, mentorship, incubation workspace and networking, business-development guidance, and industry/investor connects.

Who can apply: A currently enrolled school, diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD student, or a recent graduate (within five years), from a Gujarat institution — individually or as a team — with an original idea, research model or prototype. Applications are routed through a recognised institute or incubation centre such as GUSEC.

How selection works: Register, submit your proposal, go through screening and evaluation, pitch before a committee, then grant approval.

How to apply: Apply online through GUSEC's SSIP 2.0 portal. You don't need a registered startup to apply — an idea-stage applicant is welcome.

The Startup Gujarat Scheme is a state grant programme run through the Industries Commissionerate, Government of Gujarat, with GUSEC as a nodal institute. It pays a monthly sustenance allowance to a founder alongside separate grants for building a product and for taking it to market.

What you get: A monthly sustenance allowance for up to a year (higher for women founders), a grant toward building a working prototype and filing patents, and a further grant for marketing, field testing, launch campaigns and trade exhibitions.

Who can apply: A startup registered or incorporated in Gujarat, recognised by DPIIT or the Government of Gujarat as an innovative startup, incubated or endorsed by an approved nodal institute such as GUSEC, with original IP, a technology innovation, or a scalable business model. GUSEC names Smart Manufacturing, Clean Energy & EV, BioTech & Healthcare, AgriTech & Processing, IT/Software & AI, and Textiles & Chemicals as focus sectors.

How to apply: Apply through the Startup Gujarat Scheme page. Applications were closed at the time of research.

SISFS is the central government's Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, implemented through GUSEC and other DPIIT-selected incubators.

What you get: A non-dilutive grant for proof of concept, prototype development and product trials, or — at a later, commercialisation stage — funding via debt or convertible notes.

Who can apply: A startup recognised by DPIIT, incorporated no more than two years before applying, built around a technology-driven product or service with a clear market fit, that hasn't already received a large amount of monetary support under another Central or State scheme. Indian promoters must hold at least 51% at the time of application.

How to apply: Apply through the SISFS page. Applications were closed at the time of research.

herSTART is GUSEC's programme for women entrepreneurs, running in numbered editions since 2019. It's now hosted on its own site, herstart.in, and its most recent edition is its fifth.

What you get: Mentorship, guidance and networking; help reaching government grants and private funding; incubation and co-working access; and a certificate for every participant.

Who can apply: A startup with at least one woman promoter, where the primary applicant is a female Indian citizen who hasn't previously benefited from an earlier herSTART edition.

How selection works: An eligibility check, an online application, a bootcamp, shortlisting, an accelerator phase, then a pitch and demo day.

How to apply: Apply through herstart.in.

GUSEC JumpStart is a smaller pre-seed grant, funded through Gujarat's Corporate Social Responsibility Authority, and open only to startups already incubated at GUSEC — it isn't an entry route on its own.

What you get: A pre-seed grant to help prove a concept.

Who can apply: Startups already incubated at GUSEC.

How to apply: Fill up GUSEC's incubation form.

GUSEC's IP Cell helps students, faculty and startups of Gujarat University file patents, trademarks and designs, partnered with the IP firm Y. J. Trivedi and Co. GUSEC's own pages describe the reimbursement two different ways — as covering the full cost of a filing, and separately as a fixed benefit per filing type with the remaining cost borne by the applicant — so confirm which applies to your case with the IP Cell before you file.

What you get: Support filing a patent, trademark or design, plus reimbursement toward the filing cost.

Who can apply: Existing students and alumni of Gujarat University (within five years of graduating), faculty, professionals and startups wanting to protect and commercialise an invention or creation.

How to apply: Fill in the online IP-filing form, print the resulting document, and submit a hard copy at the GUSEC office. Prior approval from the IP Cell is required before filing.