Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIIT Hyderabad

Avishkar is CIE's flagship deep tech accelerator, running twice a year for six months at a time.

What you get

Mentoring from IIIT-H professors, industry connects and network-building events, access to prototyping and research labs, cloud credits, and eligibility for seed funding on selection.

Who can apply

A startup registered in India, with a full-time founder, ideally with a basic MVP and some customer validation already in place, working on AI, AR/VR, robotics, machine learning, computer vision, NLP or other deep tech.

How selection works: shortlisted applicants pitch to a panel at IIIT-H, and selected startups hear back within about a week.

How to apply: register on CIE's Avishkar page; general queries go to CIE's incubation inbox.

OJAS-MedTech runs on the same twice-a-year, six-month cadence as Avishkar, for startups building at the intersection of technology and medicine.

What you get

Mentoring, industry connects, access to prototyping and research labs, cloud credits, and eligibility for seed funding.

Who can apply

A startup registered in India, with a full-time founder and ideally a validated MVP, working in MedTech, life sciences, biotechnology, diagnostics or wellness. Taking up at least one incubation seat is mandatory for selected startups, and there is a per-seat fee.

How selection works: shortlisted applicants pitch to a panel at IIIT-H, with a decision within about a week.

How to apply: apply on CIE's OJAS page; programme queries go to CIE's outreach inbox.

Ojas MedTech BioNEST is CIE's ongoing incubator for MedTech companies, distinct from the time-boxed OJAS-MedTech accelerator cohort.

Who can apply

Companies building products across disease prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or wellness, using digital and emerging technologies.

How to apply: write to the OJAS programme team for more information.

OJAS PEP is a one-year fellowship track built for researchers and medical professionals who want to build an entrepreneurial career in healthcare, rather than existing startup founders.

How to apply: apply via the link on CIE's OJAS page.

AIC-IIITH is CIE's Social Tech Incubator, an Atal Incubation Centre set up to support technology startups working toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

What you get

Hard and soft business skills and mentor support through the flagship AIC Incubation Program, ending with an opportunity to pitch for seed funding. Co-working space, a conference room and meeting space on the AIC floor.

Who can apply: tech-based social enterprises.

How to apply: apply through CIE's apply page under the Social (AIC-IIITH) track.

The FLO Incubator is CIE's track for women entrepreneurs, run jointly with FICCI FLO Hyderabad, starting with a bootcamp and continuing into mentorship for those who complete it.

What you get

A two-day Idea/Opportunity Validation Bootcamp — batch capped at 20 — that works through idea assessment, business-plan review, product mix and go-to-market questions, ending in a pitch to investors. Startups that complete the bootcamp can move into a month of weekly one-on-one mentorship on validation, MVP review, go-to-market planning and pitch readiness, ending in a final pitch to a panel.

Who can apply

Budding women entrepreneurs, early-stage women-led businesses (under 1.5 years old), and women professionals with a startup idea. The bootcamp is run for FICCI FLO members and charges a fee.

How to apply: register for the Idea Validation Bootcamp on CIE's FLO Incubator page.

The DST NIDHI EIR programme lets an entrepreneur co-create a deep tech product with IIIT-H's research labs, working full-time toward a startup with social or commercial application.

What you get

Co-creation with research labs, strategy guidance and acceleration support, access to maker labs, a monthly fellowship stipend, and a seed fund on achieving agreed milestones.

Who can apply

Applicants need a minimum of four years of full-time undergraduate or postgraduate education in science or engineering (or a three-year degree/diploma plus two years of relevant work experience), must work on the venture full-time with no other concurrent fellowship or remuneration, and the proposed solution should use AI/ML, computer vision or robotics. Applicants in SC/ST categories are asked for a caste certificate at application.

How selection works: screening, then shortlisting interviews, then selection and onboarding.

How to apply: apply via CIE's DST NIDHI page; focus areas include smart cities, mobility, medtech, road safety, natural language translation and Industry 4.0.

NIDHI-PRAYAS supports individual innovators and early startups with a prototyping grant and access to CIE's Fab Lab, closing the gap between an idea and a fundable prototype.

What you get

A prototyping grant plus access to 3D printing, cutting and welding machines and an electrical lab.

Who can apply

Indian citizens aged 18 or older — individual innovators, teams, or founders/co-founders of startups no more than seven years old with a modest annual turnover — who hold the know-how for their own project. IP generated stays with the innovator or startup. Applicants who are students or employees need a no-objection certificate from their institution.

How to apply: apply via CIE's DST NIDHI page.

TIDE 2.0 runs two related tracks at CIE. The EIR track mirrors the DST NIDHI EIR — an entrepreneur co-creates a deep tech product with IIIT-H labs and receives a seed grant and access to maker labs. The Grant track is a shorter, three-to-six month fellowship for early-stage deeptech startups already at prototype, MVP or pilot stage, aimed at validating a go-to-market plan and funding further prototype development.

Who can apply

EIR track: the same academic/work-experience criteria as DST NIDHI, working full-time. Grant track: startups working full-time on a solution in smart cities, mobility, medtech, road safety, translation or Industry 4.0, using AI/ML, computer vision, robotics or AR/VR, seeded from research where relevant.

How selection works: screening, then shortlisting interviews, then selection and onboarding.

How to apply: apply via CIE's TIDE 2.0 page.

This accelerator, supported by the Department of Science and Technology, works with startups building AI applications for ADAS, mobility, road safety and freight.

What you get

Technology mentoring, access to faculty research, investor and partner network access, domain mentoring, market access, sales and marketing acceleration support, and playbooks and frameworks.

How to apply: apply on CIE's site.

Parivartan is a grant challenge CIE runs with HDFC Bank for tech-driven research startups working on social impact. Its most recent application round opened on 15 January 2025 and closed on 7 February 2025.

Who can apply

Deep tech or deep-IP-based social-impact startups, startups built on research collaborations, and startups with a research faculty advisor — IIIT-H faculty engagement is described as desirable, not mandatory. Priority domains include environment, agri-business, ed-tech, waste management, healthcare and skill development, plus deep tech and emerging technologies with a social use case.

How to apply: watch CIE's site for the next round's registration link.

Research Connect groups CIE's faculty-access tracks. Research Cafe and Rootnode give startups advisory sessions, co-creation opportunities and dedicated office hours with IIIT-H faculty across AI, data science and cybersecurity. CV Labs is a two-week, hands-on workshop for tech entrepreneurs, early startups and corporate product teams to build in emerging research areas. Deeptech CoWorkz is a dedicated coworking space for AI and deeptech founders working in GenAI, NLP, robotics, machine learning, drones, computer vision and speech, with access to conference rooms, community events and IIIT-H's founder network.

How selection works: screening, then shortlisting interviews, then selection and onboarding.

How to apply: apply via CIE's Research Connect page.

Outside its accelerator cohorts, CIE offers three standing incubation plans any startup can apply for on a rolling basis.

What you get

Launch Pad gives round-the-clock access to a plug-and-play desk; Propel gives round-the-clock access to a dedicated cabin; Virtual Incubation is fully remote. All three plans include technology and business mentoring, industry connects, access to community events and demo days, internet or cloud credits, and branding opportunities.

How to apply: apply on CIE's Offerings page.