SIIC IIT Kanpur
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur)
IIT Kanpur's flagship incubator — 500+ startups across deeptech, medtech, agritech & more since 2000.
Programs by SIIC IIT Kanpur
3 open now · 12 past
UDAAN Drone Center of Excellence Program
Accelerator program for DPIIT-registered drone startups across India.
- Applicants must be at an early stage, with a minimum viable product (MVP), or in their growth/scale stage
- The program seeks startups with demonstrated initial traction and a clear path to commercialization
- The program is open to startups operating anywhere across India, ensuring broad participation
EngSUI Innovation Challenge
Support for resident Indian citizens and student innovators to develop novel ideas into prototypes.
- The applicant must be a Resident Indian citizen
- Student innovators are explicitly eligible to submit proposals
RKVY-RAFTAAR Scheme Student Agripreneurs – SIIC IIT Kanpur
Up to ₹4L grant + IIT Kanpur incubation for student agripreneurs with early-stage agritech ideas.
- - Applicants must be student agripreneurs (individual or team) from a recognised academic institution
- - Idea must be at an early stage: idea to pre-seed; basic PoC or validation is preferred but not mandatory
- - At least one team member must be actively involved in developing the idea
IITK FinTech Spark Program
FinTech program for IITK UG students, offering grants up to ₹6 lakh and mentorship.
- - Applicants must be undergraduate (UG) students who have successfully completed their 4th semester
- - Applications are accepted from teams consisting of 2 to 3 members
- This team size encourages collaborative work and diverse skill sets, while remaining agile for rapid development
UDAAN Drone Acceleration Program – SIIC IIT Kanpur (Cohort 3)
Acceleration + ₹3L fellowship for DPIIT-registered drone/UAV startups at IIT Kanpur.
- - Must be registered as a Private Limited company
- - DPIIT recognition is mandatory
- - Must operate in the UAV/drone sector — product development, testing, design verification, or technical consultancy
RKVY-RAFTAAR Agritech Startup Scheme
Up to ₹25L for Indian agritech private limited startups.
- - Startup must be incorporated and based in India
- - Only private limited companies with all compliances in place may apply
- - Team must have formed or be part of a recognised legal entity
IITK FinTech Spark Program at SIIC IIT Kanpur
The IITK FinTech Spark Program is a flagship initiative at IIT Kanpur designed to nurture the next generation of innovators by supporting high-potential student teams in building market-ready solut…
- - The program is exclusively open to IIT Kanpur students who have completed their fourth semester or above
- - Undergraduate students from all departments are eligible to apply
- - Applications must be submitted by teams consisting of 2 to 3 student members
FutureSecure AI Innovation (FSAI) Programme at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
A grant and mentorship program for IIT Kanpur undergraduate students to develop startup ideas in AI, Cybersecurity, or interdisciplinary fields, providing up to ₹6,00,000 in funding, along with str…
- The program is specifically for students of IIT Kanpur
- * Undergraduate students who have completed their **4th semester** (2nd year onwards)
- * Minimum **CPI of 7
Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship CoE at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
An AI/ML-focused startup support program under Uttar Pradesh's Start in UP scheme, managed by SIIC IIT Kanpur and FICCI, offering co-working space, mentorship, training, and infrastructure.
- To be considered for the AIIDE CoE Cohort 5, startups must meet the following criteria:
- * **DPIIT Registration:** Must be registered with DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade)
- * **StartInUP Registration:** Must be registered with the "StartInUP" scheme
MeitY GENESIS EiR Grant - Cohort 2 at SIIC IIT Kanpur
A 12-month Entrepreneur-in-Residence program providing up to ₹10 lakh grant, incubation at SIIC IIT Kanpur, mentorship, and networking for early-stage deep-tech startups from Tier 2/3 cities.
- * **Stage:** Must be at the **Ideation, Concept Development, PoC, or Prototyping/Working Prototype** stage
TIDE 2.0 Challenge Grant at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
A national-level challenge grant for startups and innovators developing prototypes and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) in healthcare and smart manufacturing domains, supported by MeitY and hosted by…
- * Who can apply? The program is open to students (final year), individual innovators, and startups
- * Focus: Participants must be working on solutions in the healthcare or smart manufacturing sectors
- * Solution Stage: Solutions should be at the prototype or MVP development stage
5G/6G Centre of Excellence (CoE) Program at IIT Kanpur
A government-supported center of excellence at IIT Kanpur offering grant funding through the Entrepreneur-in-Residence Fellowship (up to ₹4 lakhs) and the Minimum Viable Product Grant (up to ₹6 lak…
- ### Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) Fellowship
- * A basic concept note is mandatory
- * Selected EiR fellows must register their company in Uttar Pradesh within 60 days of the fund sanction
BFI-BIOME & IITK Bioinnovation Program - Cohort 2
Two-track program: Fellowship offers monthly support up to ₹50,000 for individual innovators (6-9 months); Kickstarter Initiative provides grant up to ₹10 lakhs for biomedical startups. Includes ac…
- **For Fellowship (Individual Innovators):**\n* **Nationality:** Must be an Indian national
- \n* **Age:** Must be at least 21 years of age
- \n* **Incubation:** Willing to incubate their company with SIIC IIT Kanpur as per institutional policies
EngSUI Seed Fund
Funding for DPIIT-recognized Indian startups to scale technology-based innovations.
- - The program specifically targets startups that are leveraging technology to develop innovative solutions
- - The grant is primarily for Indian startups, reflecting the national focus of the Startup India initiative
About SIIC IIT Kanpur
Overview
The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur is one of India's oldest and most active technology business incubators. Established in 2000 as a joint initiative between IIT Kanpur and SIDBI, SIIC operates under the Foundation for Innovation & Research in Science & Technology (FIRST). It supports innovation-driven startups from early ideation through market readiness, with particular strength in deep-tech, hardware, and science-backed ventures.
Programs
Seed Fund / SISFS: Provides up to ₹20 lakh as a grant for prototype development and product validation, and up to ₹50 lakh as convertible debenture for scaling. Eligible startups must be DPIIT-recognised, under 2 years old.
TIDE 2.0 Challenge Grant (MeitY-backed): National-level challenge grant supporting healthcare and smart manufacturing innovators.
NIRMAN Accelerator Program (DST-backed): Focused on manufacturing startups in healthcare and agriculture.
GENESIS EIR (MeitY-backed): Up to ₹10 lakh/year subsistence grant for early-stage entrepreneurs.
BIRAC BIG Grant & Bio-Incubator: Biotech-focused support under BIRAC for life sciences and medtech startups.
Operation Dronagiri & 5G/6G Hackathon: Sector-specific accelerator tracks for aerospace/drone and next-gen connectivity innovators.
Track Record
As of 2025, SIIC has incubated 500+ startups across 22 states, with combined estimated valuation of approximately ₹12,000 crore and 10,800+ jobs created. Over 150 women-led ventures supported. Notable alumni include PHOOL (UN Young Leader Award), Offgrid Energy Labs ($15M Series A), Noccarc Robotics (ICU ventilators during COVID-19), and Alakh Drone (Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue).
Who Should Apply
SIIC is ideal for science and engineering founders, researchers, and IIT alumni working on hardware, deeptech, medtech, agritech, IoT, clean energy, drones, or cybersecurity. Both student-stage and post-incorporation startups (typically up to 3–5 years old) can apply. Startups with DPIIT recognition and a working prototype are well-positioned for seed fund programs.
Get in touch
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