SPARK grant-in-aid
A programme by Defence Innovation Organisation (Defence Innovation Organisation)
The grant agreement and milestone payments that follow a win in an iDEX challenge; there is no separate application.
At a glance
| Best for | Winners of iDEX challenges. |
|---|---|
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
About SPARK grant-in-aid
SPARK, the Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart in Defence, is how iDEX pays winners. It is not a separate application. A startup becomes eligible for grant-in-aid once it is declared a winner under DISC, ADITI, the Open Challenge or another iDEX challenge.
What you get
- Grant-in-aid released in six milestone-based instalments
- Grant management and project monitoring by DIO
- Business support, incubation and mentoring from the partner incubator
What you must provide
- A matching contribution of at least half of the product development budget, which can be in cash, past expenditure or in-kind
- A winner can hold up to five active contracts with DIO at a time
Equity: DIO states it takes no equity or ownership in the startup or MSME. Another page on its site describes funding as being in the form of equity or other relevant structures. Read the grant agreement before you accept.
How to apply: There is no direct application. Win an iDEX challenge first.
Where to apply
Other DIO programmes
- Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)Numbered challenge editions in which the Armed Forces and nodal agencies set problem statements and startups pitch solutions for grant support.
- ADITI (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX)Sub-scheme of iDEX for critical and strategic defence technologies, with a higher grant ceiling and a longer timeline than DISC.
- iDEX Open ChallengeA route where applicants define the defence problem and propose the solution themselves, rather than answering a set problem statement.
- iDEX PrimeA higher-grant challenge series on the iDEX portal; the latest round closed in March 2026.
- DRISHTI ChallengesA set of 101 problem statements from defence PSUs, handled by the PSUs themselves; closed in May 2026.
- iDEX Investor HubInvestor matchmaking for iDEX startups and MSMEs, with memoranda of understanding with eighteen investors.