CIBA

Start with the incubation application, not the seed fund

CIBA's seed fund under NIDHI-SSP is only open to startups that are already resident incubatees inside CIBA's technology business incubator. If you are not yet incubated with CIBA, your first application is for incubation itself, not for seed funding directly.

How applications work

CIBA asks incubation applicants to download and submit its incubation application document rather than fill an online form directly. Acceptance criteria vary from startup to startup, but CIBA generally looks for a feasible business idea and a workable business plan, so have both ready before you apply.

How the seed fund works once you're in

Once accepted as a resident incubatee, you can be considered for CIBA's NIDHI-SSP seed fund. This is an equity investment, not a grant — CIBA takes an equity stake in return for the investment and a seat, or an observer seat, on your board. Funded startups then report to CIBA's seed committee twice a year and share financials quarterly and annually.

What CIBA looks for

• A feasible business idea backed by a workable business plan, for incubation.
• Willingness to operate as a resident incubatee at one of CIBA's Goa or Mumbai centres, since the seed fund is only for physically resident startups.
• Comfort with an equity-based funding structure and board reporting, for the seed fund stage.

Other route: Startup India recognition

If you only need a recommendation letter to apply for Startup India recognition through DPIIT, CIBA is one of the incubators authorised to issue that letter — this is a separate, lighter-weight interaction than joining its incubation programme.

CIBA stands for Centre for Incubation and Business Acceleration. It is a technology business incubator with centres in Verna and Assagao, both in Goa, and in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. All three centres sit on campuses of the Fr. Agnel Technical Education Complex, and CIBA began life in 2000 as the Agnel Entrepreneurship Development Institute before taking its current name.

How it works

CIBA runs an ongoing incubation intake rather than fixed-date cohorts. A startup applies for admission with a business idea and a working plan, and acceptance criteria vary case by case, though CIBA says it generally looks for feasible ideas backed by a workable business plan. Startups that are accepted and become resident incubatees can then apply to CIBA's seed fund, which runs under the NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI-SSP) of the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), part of the Department of Science & Technology. Funding under this scheme is structured as an equity investment rather than a grant, and CIBA takes a board seat or a board observer seat in return. Funded startups report to CIBA's seed committee twice a year, plus quarterly and annual financials. On our own platform, one live cohort under this scheme is listed with a closing date, so check the current intake status on CIBA's site before applying.

CIBA is also one of the incubators the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has authorised to issue a recommendation letter for Startup India recognition, which can help a startup access Startup India benefits.

Who can apply

CIBA's incubation programme is open to entrepreneurs with a feasible business idea and a workable business plan; it does not accept every applicant. The seed fund is a further step available only to startups already resident as incubatees within CIBA's incubator. CIBA's site does not state a sector focus, so it appears open across sectors rather than specialised in one.

Facilities

CIBA's Goa and Mumbai centres offer co-working and incubation office space alongside mentoring and networking support. In Goa, CIBA also runs a co-living option branded Colive, offering short-stay cottage or villa accommodation a short distance from its co-working space, for individual founders or teams.

Scale

CIBA says it has supported more than 5,000 entrepreneurs since its earlier years as the Agnel Entrepreneurship Development Institute. It lists a number of companies that received seed funding through its NIDHI-SSP scheme, including Transerve Technologies, Vivrt Motors, FlyBird Farm Innovations, Nativefolks, GetParked and Empleador Hiring Solutions, and separately names startups such as Spintly, Infinyt3D, The Legal Capsule, Gyronotech and Restomeal among the ventures it has incubated. These are CIBA's own published lists rather than an independently audited count.

Who runs it

CIBA's day-to-day team is led by CEO Amey Karmali, with Sanjay Mulvi heading seed fund and incubation activity, alongside accounts and secretarial support. Its Board of Governors is chaired by Fr. Alarico Carvalho and includes Fr. Jose Saturnino J.M.M.X. Dalmedia, Managing Director of Agnel Charities, which runs the technical education campuses CIBA operates from. The board also carries advisory members connected to CIBA's government and institutional partners: an NSTEDB/DST advisor, IIM Ahmedabad's CIIE CEO, and a representative from the Government of Goa's Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce, alongside private-sector members from Kae Capital, Zuari Farms and Foods, and Reliance Industries.

Locations

CIBA's original and largest centre is at the Agnel Technical Education Complex in Verna, Salcete, Goa. A second Goa centre operates from the same complex's campus in Assagao, Bardez, further north in the state. Its Mumbai presence is a centre in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, also on an Agnel Technical Education Complex campus.