Kotak BizLabs Accelerator 2026
By IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
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Quick Answer
A CSR initiative by Kotak Mahindra Bank and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, this accelerator supports early-revenue social impact startups with up to ₹30 lakh grant and comprehensive mentorship.
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹30 Lakhs
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- IIM Calcutta Innovation Park
- Application deadline
- 58d — 31 Oct 2026
- Eligible stage
- Revenue
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
About this grant
The Kotak BizLabs Accelerator Program, a CSR initiative of Kotak Mahindra Bank in collaboration with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, is designed to support and scale 20 early-revenue-stage startups. This program focuses on ventures building innovative, commercially viable solutions with measurable social and/or environmental impact. It aims to help promising startups transition from early market validation and initial traction towards sustainable, scalable, and investment-ready growth. Startups at this stage typically have a validated product or service and initial market traction, but require focused support to strengthen their business models, expand their customer base, improve operational capabilities, build strategic partnerships, measure impact, and prepare for fundraising. Through a structured acceleration journey, selected startups receive targeted support in critical areas such as business model strengthening, revenue strategy, market and customer development, product refinement, go-to-market strategy, impact measurement, mentorship, network access, investment readiness, strategic partnerships, and operational capacity building. The program is pan-India, with outreach activities specifically targeting the East and North-East regions of India, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation nationwide.
Eligibility
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Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Create a free account to view.
Grant providers
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) The IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) is a Section 8 (not-for-profit) company established under IIM Calcutta, recognized as a Technology Business Incubator (TBI) by NSTEDB under DST. IIMCIP serves as the anchor institution for the…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Amount
- Up to ₹30 Lakhs
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
Selected startups will receive a comprehensive package of strategic, technical, market, and financial support. This includes:
- Grant Support: Eligible startups may receive non-repayable grant funding of up to INR 30 lakhs. This support is provided through an initial disbursement and performance-linked additional support, subject to program guidelines, due diligence, and milestone achievements. No equity is taken as part of this grant.
- One-on-One Mentorship: Personalized mentoring from the extensive IIM Calcutta Innovation Park ecosystem, offering access to experienced mentors and domain experts tailored to each startup's specific needs. The program envisages over 150 mentoring hours across the cohort.
- Customized Capacity Building: Participation in structured bootcamps, workshops, and webinars covering essential areas such as business strategy, go-to-market execution, financial management, fundraising, compliance, and organizational development.
- Business Model & Revenue Strategy: Expert guidance to strengthen business models, refine revenue streams, optimize pricing, improve unit economics, and ensure long-term financial sustainability.
- Market & Customer Connect: Opportunities for market-access support, interactions with potential buyers, corporate connections, strategic introductions, and the possibility of pilot projects to expand customer reach.
- Investor & Fundraising Readiness: Dedicated support for developing compelling investor-facing communication, pitch readiness, data room preparation, investor mapping, and curated interactions with investors through round tables and dedicated connects.
- Strategic Partnerships: Access to a broad network of industry experts, corporates, investors, ecosystem partners, and institutions to facilitate meaningful partnerships and market linkages.
- Demo Day: Top-performing startups will gain a valuable platform to showcase their innovations to Kotak leadership, investors, industry stakeholders, and the wider ecosystem.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Duration
- 9 months
- Cohort size
- 20 startups
- Funding source
- CSR funded
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
The selection process is designed as a rigorous multi-stage evaluation to identify high-potential early-revenue-stage startups. It involves:
- Application Review: Initial screening of submitted applications based on eligibility criteria, problem-solution fit, business viability, innovation, impact potential, and scalability.
- Pitching: Shortlisted startups will be invited to present their business models and impact potential to a distinguished selection committee.
- Committee Evaluation: A selection committee comprising representatives from Kotak Mahindra Bank and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park will assess startups across key dimensions: Problem-Solution Fit, Business Viability, Innovation, Impact Potential, and Scalability. The decision of this committee will be final and binding.
Application Process
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Apply Online
Submit your application through the official online portal.
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How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kotak BizLabs Acceleration?
Kotak BizLabs Accelerator Programme is a structured startup acceleration program launched by Kotak Mahindra Bank in collaboration with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park to support and scale 20 early-revenue-stage startups with social impact and a focus on sustainability.
What is IIM Calcutta Innovation Park?
IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) is a nonprofit company setup under the aegis of IIM Calcutta to promote entrepreneurship and innovation and established itself as a premier hub of entrepreneurship development in East and Northeast India. IIMCIP has a strong focus on social entrepreneurship and supports technology-enabled innovation with social impact. In the last 8+ years, IIMCIP has reached out to 1 million youth pan India, catalyzed 35,000+ innovative ideas, mentored 5,500+ entrepreneurs, and supported 100+ startups, thereby positioning itself as one of the fastest- growing incubator in the country and a thought leader in social entrepreneurship space. IIMCIP has till date provided seed funding support amounting to Rs.26 crores to various startups and has facilitated follow-on funding amounting to Rs.1,946 crores for the incubated startups.
How many startups will be selected?
The program will select 20 startups for the cohort.
Is the program open to startups across India?
Yes. The program is pan-India. However, outreach activities will have a particular focus on startups and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the East and North-East of India.
What stage of startup is eligible?
The program is intended for early-revenue-stage startups with demonstrated traction. Applicants should have proven revenue traction during the last 12 months.
Is DPIIT registration mandatory?
Yes. Applicants are required to be DPIIT registered.
Can startups from sectors other than the listed focus sectors apply?
The program is specifically designed around the identified focus sectors. Startups should therefore demonstrate a clear connection with at least one of the Primary Focus Sectors listed below.
Is there any funding or grant support?
Yes. Selected startups may receive grant support of up to INR 30 lakhs, subject to eligibility, due diligence, milestones and applicable program terms. The program design includes grant support at onboarding along with performance-linked additional support.
Is the grant an equity investment?
No equity investment is indicated as part of the program's grant support. The support is structured as a grant, subject to the applicable grant agreement and program conditions.
What kind of mentorship will startups receive?
Startups will receive one-on-one and need-based mentoring covering areas such as business strategy, GTM, revenue growth, financial management, fundraising, operations and other startup-specific requirements.
Will startups get access to investors?
Yes. The program includes investor round tables, curated investor connects and fundraising- readiness support.
Will there be market or corporate connects?
Yes. The program includes corporate connects, market-access events, buyer interactions and strategic partnerships to help startups expand their customer base and market opportunities.
Is physical participation mandatory?
The program design includes mentoring, workshops, bootcamps, corporate connects, market-access activities and other ecosystem engagements. Specific participation requirements will be communicated to selected startups during onboarding.
How will startups be selected?
Selection will follow a multi-stage evaluation process involving the written application, pitching and evaluation by a selection committee comprising Kotak and IIMCIP representatives. Startups will be assessed across five broad dimensions: Problem-Solution Fit, Business Viability, Innovation, Impact Potential and Scalability.
What happens after selection?
Selected startups will undergo onboarding and due diligence, followed by structured mentoring, workshops, bootcamps, market and corporate connects, investor interactions and growth monitoring before graduating through the program's Demo Day.
Will the progress of startups be monitored?
Yes. The program includes regular monitoring through growth dashboards, milestone reviews and founder capability assessments. The program also tracks parameters such as revenue growth, valuation, fundraising, grants, investor connects, mentoring, market access and other growth indicators.
What is the expected outcome of the program?
The program aims to help participating startups strengthen their business models, increase revenues, improve operational capabilities, access new markets, become more investment-ready and create greater social and environmental impact.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
