NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (NIDHI-EIR)
A programme by Ahmedabad University
A monthly fellowship letting a founder work full time on a technology idea — currently closed to applications at VentureStudio.
At a glance
| Best for | Aspiring founders who want to go full time on a technology business idea and need income support |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Prototype |
| Duration | Typically 12 months, extendable to 18 |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Free, no equity |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | Department of Science and Technology |
About NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (NIDHI-EIR)
A fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology that pays a founder a monthly allowance so they can validate a technology idea full time. Its page says VentureStudio is not accepting applications at the moment, so it is between intakes.
What you get
- A monthly fellowship as a personal sustenance grant, not a business budget
- Structured mentoring from domain and business experts
- Coworking space and access to relevant labs
- Guidance towards grants or seed investment when you are ready
Who can apply
- Indian citizens with proof of nationality
- Either four years of full-time undergraduate or postgraduate education towards a science or engineering degree or diploma, or a three-year degree or diploma plus two years of full-time work experience
- Committed to the idea full time, with no other salary or fellowship running alongside
- Not a promoter or significant shareholder of another company, and not a promoter of an existing funded startup
- Not open to students currently enrolled in a full-time academic programme, or to anyone who has held this fellowship before
- You must register for pre-incubation or incubation at the incubator for the whole support period
How selection works: an online application followed by a jury interaction, then a fellowship agreement and jointly set goals. Monthly payments are tied to progress reports, and the fellowship can be stopped for non-performance.
How to apply: applications are closed at present. Ask vs@ahduni.edu.in to be told when the next call opens.
Where to apply
Other Ahmedabad University programmes
- NIDHI Seed Support Programme (NIDHI-SSP)Seed investment for startups that have an MVP and want to reach the market, backed by the Department of Science and Technology.
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)The national seed fund, applied for on the Startup India portal with Ahmedabad University Support Foundation named as your preferred incubator.
- Government of Gujarat Startup SchemeState grant support for Gujarat-based founders and companies, with VentureStudio acting as an approved nodal institute.
- Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP)Gujarat's student innovation grant, open to any student, alumnus or dropout in the state up to age 35 — not only Ahmedabad University students.
- NIDHI-PRAYASPre-incubation prototyping grant for hardware innovators, currently closed — VentureStudio says it is not accepting applications.
- Custom student programmes and campus visitsWorkshops, innovation sprints, fellowships and group visits co-designed with colleges, student groups and ecosystem partners.