CIIF Incubation Program
A programme by Chitkara Innovation Incubator Foundation (Chitkara Innovation Incubator Foundation)
CIIF's general, rolling intake for early-stage and growth-stage startups, in a resident or a virtual mode.
At a glance
| Best for | Early-stage and growth-stage startups in any sector, from outside the university as well as inside it |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Growth |
| Format | Hybrid |
About CIIF Incubation Program
This is the main door into CIIF and the one most founders should use first. It takes applications on a rolling basis, with no cohort dates published, and it is open to outside founders rather than only to Chitkara students. It also matters as a precondition: CIIF's seed support route requires three months of association with this programme before you are eligible for the money.
What you get
- Mentoring from industry experts and experienced mentors.
- Routes to funding through the government schemes CIIF hosts, and through angel investors and venture capital funds.
- A co-working space on campus, and subsidised office space.
- Introductions to other founders, investors and corporate partners.
- Workshops, master classes and bootcamps.
Who can apply
- Early-stage startups with a clear idea.
- Growth-stage startups looking to scale.
- Founders in any sector — CIIF names technology, healthcare and education, and says it wants to hear from any sector where the idea can make a difference.
- No incorporation requirement, no state restriction and no student-only rule is stated.
How selection works: you submit the online application form, CIIF's team reviews it and shortlists startups for an interview, and the startups it selects are onboarded into the programme.
How to apply: use the application form linked from CIIF's incubate-with-us page. Questions go to ciif@chitkara.edu.in.
Where to apply
Other CIIF programmes
- DST NIDHI Seed Support ProgramSeed investment for startups already incubated at CIIF, decided by its seed support committee and taken as equity or a convertible instrument.
- NIDHI PRAYAS at CIIFPrototype grants for innovators building a physical product, run by CIIF under the DST NIDHI PRAYAS scheme. The last published deadline has passed.
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme at CIIFCIIF is a portfolio incubator under the national Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, which supports proof of concept, prototyping, product trials and market entry.
- MeitY TIDE 2.0 Grant at CIIFA grant for turning a proof of concept into a prototype or minimum viable product, run by CIIF as a centre under MeitY's TIDE 2.0 scheme.
- MeitY TIDE 2.0 Entrepreneur in Residence at CIIFA monthly fellowship for graduates under 25 who want to test a startup idea full time, run by CIIF under MeitY's TIDE 2.0 scheme.
- MeitY GENESIS Entrepreneur in Residence at CIIFA fellowship for first-generation founders from Tier-II and Tier-III cities, run by CIIF as an approved partner incubator under MeitY's GENESIS scheme.
- MeitY GENESIS Pilot Funding Program at CIIFFunding to deploy a market-ready product on a pilot with a large buyer, for Tier-II and Tier-III city startups that already hold the purchase order.
- MeitY GENESIS Matching Investment Program at CIIFEquity-based matching investment for Tier-II and Tier-III city startups that already have an angel or venture capital commitment.
- Chitkara XceleratorCIIF's own three-month cohort accelerator, taking startups from development to go-to-market and ending in a demo day. Between intakes — the last published dates are from 2023.