Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Choosing the right route

• Technology startup at the idea or growth stage in any sector: incubation is the route the site lists as open.
• Software startup from idea to first customers: the accelerator suits you, but it was closed to applications at the time of checking.
• Idea that needs a prototype: NIDHI-PRAYAS is the grant to look at, but its last stated deadline has passed. Confirm the current status before applying.

How applications work

• Incubation: apply through the Amrita TBI apply page.
• Accelerator: complete the online form, which asks for the problem you solve, what is unique about your solution, your value proposition and your competitive advantage. Supporting material is welcome.

How selection works

• Accelerator: shortlisted startups pitch online to a selection committee. The top startups are selected and also incubated by Amrita TBI.

Before you apply

• Confirm which calls are open today, because several listed deadlines have passed.
• Ask about the criteria for the GENESIS matching investment, which the pages read do not state.

Amrita TBI is the Amrita Technology Business Incubator, a non-profit startup incubator run with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and supported by the Government of India. It funds, mentors and nurtures ideas, startups and entrepreneurs, and it is based on the Amritapuri campus in Kollam, Kerala.

How the programmes work

Amrita TBI offers incubation for startups at the idea and growth stages in various sectors, including technology, healthcare and agriculture. Incubation can be physical, with workspace in Kollam and Bengaluru, or virtual, for startups that can operate from anywhere in India. Once accepted, a startup can stay in the programme for up to three years.

Its accelerator is a six month programme for information technology (software) startups, from the idea stage through the first few customers. It aims to make each startup ready for investment by the Demo Day. The accelerator page says Amrita TBI does not take equity from startups for joining. The stated application deadline for the accelerator has passed, and the apply page shows applications as closed.

Amrita TBI also runs grant and residency routes that come from national schemes. NIDHI-PRAYAS gives a grant to an aspiring innovator or startup to build an idea into a prototype. NIDHI-EIR gives a monthly subsistence grant to an aspiring or budding entrepreneur with a technology business idea. Under the MeitY Startup Hub GENESIS scheme, Amrita TBI runs an Entrepreneur-in-Residence grant and a matching investment programme, which matches investment that an eligible startup raises from venture capitalists and angel investors. Amrita TBI is also a partner incubator for the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, which the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade runs. Its slots are shown as filled. Its PitchFest is a pitch competition for startups, and its last dated deadline has passed.

Several of these calls are closed by their stated deadlines. Check the apply page for what is open before you plan an application.

Who can apply

• Incubation: startups in various sectors, including technology, healthcare and agriculture, at the idea and growth stages.
• Accelerator: information technology (software) startups, from the idea stage through the first few customers.
• NIDHI-PRAYAS: aspiring innovators and startups that want to build an idea into a prototype.
• NIDHI-EIR: aspiring or budding entrepreneurs with a technology business idea.
• GENESIS matching investment: eligible startups. The pages read do not list the criteria.

Facilities

The Amrita TBI Fab Lab offers prototyping and testing with 3D printing, PCB printing, CNC machines and IoT kits. Incubatees also get workstations with high speed network, meeting rooms and printers. They can use the labs at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, which the site describes as more than 100 multidisciplinary labs.

Support and partners

Incubatees get mentorship from national mentors and from mentors in Silicon Valley and Singapore. Amrita TBI links startups to VCs and angel investors, and to an intern pool from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Partner discounts of up to 20 percent cover accounting and legal services. The site also lists cloud credits from AWS and a GST exemption for three years for revenue under a set annual limit.

Recognition

The site says Amrita TBI is one of the approved NIDHI-EIR centres of the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board. It also says Amrita TBI is one of the select implementing agencies of MeitY Startup Hub, and a partner incubator for DPIIT's seed fund. It reports a national award for the best startup incubator in 2017. No approval periods are given for these recognitions.

Scale

The site's pages give different cumulative counts of startups incubated, so no single figure is quoted here. The impact counter on the home page lists 80 key mentors and 145 patents filed.

Locations

The Kollam office is on the Amritapuri campus at Clappana. Bengaluru is at Amrita School of Engineering, Kasavanahalli. The home page also lists Coimbatore, at Ettimadai, as an incubation location. The incubation page lists only Kollam and Bengaluru.