IIM Udaipur Incubation Centre

This is the centre's core incubation offer, and the programme most of its fellowships route you into: holders of a NIDHI or Genesis fellowship must register for pre-incubation or incubation at IIMUIC for the whole period of their support.

What you get

• Co-working space and facilities for running the business
• Business mentoring, legal support, accounting support and secretarial support
• IP protection support and technology support
• Access to the Invention Studio and Makers Lab
• Industry connect and investor connect

Who can apply

• The page does not state eligibility, a duration or a fee. Ask the centre directly.

How to apply: Write to the incubation team at incubation@iimu.ac.in.

A cohort-based online programme for people at the very start. It is between intakes: the page's dates are from an earlier round and its banner says applications are closed, though a question further down the same page says they are open.

What you get

• Live workshops on how to test, validate and improve a business idea
• Group mentoring and feedback at set stages of the journey
• A community of founders at the same stage
• A certificate of participation, and a chance to qualify for the incubation programme

Who can apply

• Co-founders of an idea or early-stage venture
• Students and working professionals with a startup ambition or a product idea
• Incorporation is not required, and solo founders can apply
• One business idea per applicant
• Sector agnostic and open to ideas from anywhere in India

How it runs: eight business modules, from identifying customers and validating the problem through prototyping, business model, legal basics, financial planning, raising capital and a go-to-market plan. Sessions run online on weekdays. The page gives the length as eight weeks in one place and ten weeks in another. There were 30 seats in the last round.

How to apply: Register through the programme page when a call is open.

The Department of Science and Technology's seed scheme, which IIMUIC runs for its own incubatees. It is not an entry point — you have to be incubated at the centre first. Its status is unclear: the scheme page says applications are closed while the centre's home page says they are open, so check before you plan around it.

What you get

• Seed support so the startup can scale in the market and go on to raise from angels, venture funds or banks
• Money can go towards product development, testing and trials, test marketing, mentoring, professional consultancy including IP work, and staff for day-to-day operations

Who can apply

• A technology-backed startup in any sector, with customer traction and initial revenue
• A company registered in India
• Incubated with IIMUIC, and considered for investment after three months of incubation
• Indian promoters holding at least 51%

How selection works: support is released only on the recommendation of a Seed Support Management Committee set up by the incubator. It goes to incubatees whether they are physically resident or virtual. The instrument is equity financing.

How to apply: Get incubated at the centre first, then ask the team about seed support.

A fellowship rather than an investment: the centre pays you a monthly stipend for a year so you can work on a technology idea without another job. It is between intakes; a first cohort has already been through it.

What you get

• A monthly stipend for twelve months
• Pre-incubation for ten fellows with technology business ideas
• Co-working space, common infrastructure and administrative support
• Mentoring from mentors and experts on turning the idea into a product
• A chance to pitch for follow-on funding under the centre's other programmes

Who can apply

• Indian citizens
• Either four years of full-time undergraduate or postgraduate education with a science or engineering base, or a three-year degree or diploma in science or engineering plus two years of full-time work
• You cannot be a promoter or hold more than 10% of another company when you apply
• You must pursue the venture full time; the fellowship cannot run alongside a salary or another fellowship
• You must register for pre-incubation or incubation at IIMUIC for the whole period
• You need a written business plan and an investment presentation
• It can be used only once, and you cannot seek it from two centres for the same idea

Preference goes to ideas with larger technology uncertainty or a long gestation, ideas built on technology or IP from publicly funded research, and ideas with real social impact potential. Ideas with little technology in them, or that are within six months of commercialisation, are discouraged.

How selection works: the centre checks eligibility, a screening committee scores on innovation, commercialisation and venture-creation potential, team capability and commitment, and only shortlisted applicants present to an expert committee. That committee's decision is final, no explanation is given for a rejection, and only successful applicants are contacted.

How to apply: Watch the programme page for the next call; general queries to incubation@iimu.ac.in.

IIMUIC is one of the incubators that delivers the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme. Applications are made on the national seed fund portal rather than on the centre's own site, and you choose IIMUIC as your incubator there. The last round is closed.

What you get

• Seed investment, or a grant, for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialisation
• Incubation and acceleration support for twelve months
• Dedicated mentoring workshops and capacity-building sessions
• Follow-on investment support from the centre's investment community
• Networking and pilot opportunities with partners

Who can apply

• DPIIT-recognised startups incorporated not more than two years before applying
• A business idea for a product or service with market fit, viable commercialisation and room to scale
• You must not already have taken more than the scheme's cap in support from any other central or state government scheme; prize money, subsidised workspace, a founder allowance and access to labs or prototyping do not count
• Indian promoters holding at least 51% when you apply

For the grant route, preference goes to startups working on social impact, quality education, clean and affordable energy, clean water and sanitation, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, and assistive technology.

How to apply: On the national Startup India seed fund portal, choosing IIMUIC as your incubator. Scheme queries to incubation@iimu.ac.in.

IIMUIC runs the Entrepreneur-in-Residence strand of the GENESIS scheme for startups working in emerging technology. It has run more than once; the most recent round's deadline has passed.

What you get

• Funding support for an early-stage startup
• Help building an MVP and validating it with a pilot
• One-to-one mentoring and coaching shaped around your goals and stage
• Introductions to investors for follow-on funding
• Access to the centre's co-working space and resources
• A network of collaborators and partners

Who can apply

• Indian citizens with an early-stage startup
• The company must be young — the most recent round asked for an entity no more than two years old, an earlier round asked for one year
• You must not already have taken significant outside funding, including government funding
• The idea must be original, not a copy of an existing product or service
• The most recent round also asked that the startup be based in a Tier-II or Tier-III city

Focus areas are electronics and IT, big data, IoT, artificial intelligence, robotics, health tech, AI in agriculture, ed tech, blockchain and AR/VR.

How selection works: an eligibility check, then screening on innovation, commercialisation and venture-creation potential, team capability and commitment, then a presentation by shortlisted applicants to an expert committee whose decision is final. Only successful applicants are contacted. Anyone selected must register for pre-incubation or incubation at IIMUIC for the period of support.

How to apply: Watch the programme page for the next call. Note that two pages for this programme are live with different rules on each; the newer one is the one to read.

Run with MeitY Startup Hub. The thing to understand before applying is that SAMRIDH does not lead a round — its support is released only as matching co-investment, so you need a commitment in hand first. The last round is closed.

What you get

• Capital for building an MVP or validating a pilot, as a mix of grant and equity, released against your own investor's commitment
• One-to-one mentoring and coaching shaped around your stage
• A network of collaborators and partners
• Introductions to investors for follow-on funding
• Access to the centre's co-working space and resources

Who can apply

• DPIIT-registered technology startups
• At least 51% owned by Indian founders
• At MVP or early-traction stage
• With a hard commitment already secured from an angel investor or a venture fund

Focus areas are IoT, artificial intelligence, robotics, health tech, AI in agriculture, ed tech, blockchain, AR/VR and biotech.

How selection works: eligibility check, screening committee, then a presentation by shortlisted applicants to an expert committee whose decision is final and binding. Only successful applicants are contacted.

How to apply: Watch the programme page for the next call.

The centre's corporate-partnered accelerator. It is between intakes; the page covers the fourth edition and earlier ones have also run.

What you get

• Validation against innovation needs set by the corporate partners, and a possible pilot with them
• An investment at graduation for some qualifying ventures, plus an introduction of your story to the centre's investment partners as possible co-investors
• Tailored mentoring on go-to-market, technology and customer acquisition
• Co-working space, business mentoring, legal and accounting support, technical support and labs for rapid prototyping
• Credits from cloud and software vendors
• A cohort of founders at a similar stage

Who can apply

• Technology-backed startups at pre-seed, seed or growth stage
• Working on agritech or fintech problems
• A venture that has already taken seed funding from a similar government scheme cannot also take a seed investment from the centre

On the agritech side the partners were looking at market linkage and farm inputs, farm mechanisation and automation, precision agriculture, quality management and traceability, supply chain and output market linkage, agricultural waste management and financial services. On the fintech side, autonomous finance, banking-as-a-service and financial inclusion for retail customers and for SMEs.

How to apply: Watch the programme page for the next call; queries to incubation@iimu.ac.in.

One of the centre's newer programmes. It is sector agnostic but wants a rural focus, and the centre describes it as a flagship it is building out. The page carries no dates, so check whether a call is open.

What you get

• Business skills and leadership development
• Practical work on how to grow and scale
• A market-launch plan for your product
• Introductions to potential clients and partners
• A demo day in front of venture investors and industry leaders
• Grant support where a committee recommends it
• Free access to a startup toolkit and tech credits

Who can apply

• Startups, social enterprises and founder teams working on rural development and community impact
• Early-stage, growth-stage and revenue-generating businesses with scalable solutions
• Startups from anywhere in India working for rural communities
• No application fee

How it runs: virtual across six months, tailored to each participant's challenges, though the centre says it may include in-person sessions as well.

How to apply: Through the programme page; queries to incubation@iimu.ac.in.

Samriddhi is the centre's open-access programme for women founders, and it costs nothing to take part. It is between intakes; the deadline on the page has passed.

What you get

• Business skills and leadership development
• Practical work on growing and scaling the business
• A market-launch plan for your product
• Introductions to potential clients and partners
• A demo day in front of venture investors and industry leaders, held on the IIM Udaipur campus with travel and accommodation provided
• Financial support: grants on the startup track, a stipend on the entrepreneur-in-residence track
• Free access to a startup toolkit and tech credits

Who can apply

• Women founders and co-founders
• Either already running a startup, or holding an idea you want to build into one
• To qualify for the financial support you need 90% attendance and must meet the legal conditions — a startup has to be registered as a company to take the startup grant

How selection works: eight places on the startup track and eight on the entrepreneur-in-residence track. Applications are assessed on a rolling basis and you hear back within three to four weeks, so applying early helps.

How it runs: all workshops are online, roughly six hours at the weekend plus an hour of coaching midweek, with market research and strategy work on top. Only the demo day is in person.

How to apply: Through the programme page when a call is open.

A step up from Samriddhi: this one is for women-led technology companies past validation, and it is explicit that idea-stage applicants are not what it is looking for. It is closed; the last round ran in 2024.

What you get

• Business and leadership coaching through online workshops on product management, customer acquisition, business strategy, financial management, operations, marketing and leadership
• A deep-dive gap analysis that produces an individual growth plan for the business
• One-to-one mentorship with a lead mentor for the whole programme
• Fundraising and investor-readiness work with a dedicated fund manager, covering your pitch, valuation and data room
• Access to the centre's investor network and to networking events

Who can apply

• Technology startups with high growth potential and a scalable model
• At least one woman on the founding team with a substantial equity stake or a C-suite role
• Legally incorporated and trading for more than two years, above a stated annual income threshold
• Some validation or traction — a minimum viable product or service with market fit and room to scale

How selection works: up to 15 women entrepreneurs are chosen in two stages. First the team reviews applications and interviews those shortlisted one to one; then finalists present to the programme jury. Selection weighs the viability of the business, its growth and scaling potential, and the founders' commitment.

How to apply: Through the online form on the programme page when a call opens. Note the page gives its length as both 15 weeks and four months, and quotes two different programme fees — ask the centre which is current.

Powered by Buimerc India Foundation, this programme is for craft businesses with a sustainability mission that employ artisans in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. It is closed; the last round ran in 2024.

What you get

• In-person workshops on design innovation, technology adoption, domestic and global market linkages, business model innovation, inventory management, financial planning, brand building and impact measurement
• Five one-to-one online mentorship sessions with industry experts and business leaders
• A virtual deep-dive session on your growth ambitions and blockers
• Catalytic capital from the centre, as equity, debt or a convertible note, subject to qualifying
• Access to local, national and global networks of collaborators and business partners
• A demo day in front of impact investors and corporate partners
• Twelve months of continued support after graduation at no extra cost

Who can apply

• Early-growth-stage social, creative and impact enterprises in craft and handmade — fashion, home decor and lifestyle, e-commerce and retail, craft-tech and culture-tech
• Legally incorporated and trading for more than a year; idea and concept stage businesses are not wanted
• Demonstrated commitment to sustainability practices and artisan wellbeing
• Two-year average revenue growth and a wish to scale responsibly
• A commitment to engage actively and meet the programme's requirements

How selection works: up to ten enterprises are chosen in two stages, a screening committee review then interviews with those shortlisted. Scoring is out of 100 across sustainability and social impact, uniqueness, business feasibility and viability, craft product range and domain expertise, and team strength, at twenty points each.

How it runs: four months with fifteen days of residential classes, delivered as three intensive weeks of face-to-face sessions on the IIM Udaipur campus plus five online coaching calls, ending in a pitch day to angel investors and venture firms.

How to apply: Through the programme page when a call opens. Selected participants pay a commitment fee that is refunded when they complete the programme.

A call for social impact startups using a business model, rather than donations, to tackle a social problem. It is closed.

What you get

• Seed investment
• Incubation and acceleration support for twelve months
• Dedicated mentoring workshops and capacity-building sessions
• Follow-on investment support from the centre's investment community
• Networking and pilot opportunities with partners

Who can apply

• Operating in India for at least a year
• Early traction or validation with customers
• A mission to solve a social or environmental problem, with clear intent and alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Registered and DPIIT-recognised
• Women-led social enterprises are strongly encouraged

The themes were environmental conservation, sustainable rural economy, affordable healthcare, clean water and sanitation, economic growth of SMEs, gender diversity and inclusion, technologies for better governance, affordable and quality education, and green and clean energy. The centre said it was looking for ten startups.

How to apply: Through the programme page when a call opens; queries to incubation@iimu.ac.in.

A recurring challenge the centre has run more than once, with winner and runner-up galleries on its page going back several years. It is closed between rounds. An earlier edition ran with Transworld Group as corporate partner.

What you get

• Financial support for the two winners and the two runners-up
• Capital for building an MVP or validating a pilot, as a mix of grant and equity
• One-to-one mentoring and coaching
• Online workshops and a bootcamp
• A network of collaborators and partners
• Introductions to investors for follow-on funding

Who can apply

• Teams that have already built a prototype or MVP and intend to validate it with a pilot and commercialise it
• With a solution addressing at least one of the listed themes: clean energy, food and agriculture, mobility and transport, ports and shipping, green buildings and cities
• An original proposal that can be adopted quickly and works at large scale, with a large addressable market
• Preference goes to ideas with a patent filed or one that could be filed

How selection works: applications are scored out of 100 across impact, team strength, feasibility, relevance to the theme, and uniqueness, at twenty points each, and finalists pitch.

How to apply: Through the programme page when the next round opens.

IIMUIC runs this with Rajeevika, Rajasthan's rural livelihoods body, under the non-farm arm of the central DAY-NRLM mission. It aims to build up 150 existing enterprises run by self-help groups into larger, lasting businesses. The application process for the current round is stated as complete. The programme page is written entirely in Hindi.

What you get

• Leadership and business capability development
• Help improving product quality and design through experts
• Support expanding the business and reaching new opportunities
• Networking with potential customers, partners and industry experts
• Financial support as a grant or an interest-free soft loan, repaid over three years after a six-month moratorium
• Business plan help, training, licensing support, market access, branding and digital training

Who can apply

• Enterprises in non-agricultural manufacturing or services; trading businesses, direct farming and small backyard activities are excluded
• Women-owned individual enterprises and women-led group enterprises above a stated minimum annual income
• The applicant must be a self-help group member or a family member of one, with at least a year of membership and a meeting attendance record
• Sectors in focus are food processing, handicrafts, manufacturing and rural services

How selection works: a jury picks on the business's capacity to grow. Selected enterprises are expected to grow revenue by at least 15% a year and to employ around three or four people. At least two thirds of the enterprises supported must be women's, individual enterprises are capped at half the cohort, and at least a tenth of participants come from remote areas, meaning 50 km or more from a town.

How it runs: support lasts at least 18 months within a three-year project. Enterprises put in a quarter of the cost themselves, and the money can go on machinery, equipment and working capital but not on land or buildings. Training is free.

How to apply: Through the application link on the programme page when a round opens. Note the page gives two different closing dates in two places.

A national call run by the Office of the Development Commissioner at the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, under the incubation component of the MSME Innovative Scheme. You apply on the ministry's portal and choose a host institute; IIMUIC is one of them. The last round is closed.

What you get

• Funding support to nurture and develop the selected idea, routed through the host institute you picked
• Mentorship appointed by the host institute, with the work done on the host institute's premises

Who can apply

• Students, innovators and MSMEs from anywhere in India
• Your idea must match one of the published themes, across agriculture, health, power and IT, services, and a miscellaneous category covering alternatives to single-use plastic, sustainable fashion, waste to wealth and circular solutions
• Submit each idea to only one host institute; the same idea sent to two is rejected
• Students must upload a valid current student ID
• Ideas already submitted or already approved in an earlier hackathon cannot be entered again

How selection works: four stages. The host institute evaluates first, using a panel of three to five domain experts. The ministry's programme unit screens what the host institutes send up. Five domain expert selection committees drawn from industry, academia and government then evaluate and recommend. A Project Monitoring and Advisory Committee gives final approval.

How to apply: On the ministry's MSME innovative portal, selecting a host institute in your state or a nearby one. Applicants in the MSME and other category pay a share of the development cost to the host institute before the grant is released.