Co-Innovation Centre with IHFC, IIT Delhi
A programme by DTU Innovation and Incubation Foundation (DTU-IIF)
A deep-tech centre on the DTU campus run jointly with I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics at IIT Delhi, which mentors and reviews proposals for IHFC's funding calls.
At a glance
| Best for | Deep-tech researchers, startups, MSMEs and individual innovators |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – MVP |
| Format | In person |
| Run with | I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), IIT Delhi, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India |
About Co-Innovation Centre with IHFC, IIT Delhi
The Co-Innovation Centre opened on the DTU campus on 10 July 2025 as a joint initiative with I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics at IIT Delhi, under the Department of Science and Technology's national mission on interdisciplinary cyber-physical systems. It is aimed at deep-tech research, technology commercialisation, startup incubation and industry collaboration.
Its focus areas are AI and machine learning, robotics, cobotics and autonomous systems, IoT, health technology, semiconductors and embedded systems, industrial automation, Industry 4.0, defence and aerospace, agritech, smart mobility, energy and climate technology, and deep-tech product development.
What you get
- Research funding, prototype development and technology commercialisation support
- Startup incubation and industry collaboration
- Expert mentoring, technology transfer help and introductions
- Proposal review and end-to-end guidance for applying to IHFC's funding calls
Who can apply
- Faculty members, researchers and PhD scholars
- Startups and MSMEs
- Academic institutions and industry partners
- Individual innovators working on deep tech
How selection works: proposals are judged on innovation, technical merit, how feasible they are to implement, technology readiness, commercialisation potential, societal impact and national relevance.
How to apply: the funding calls are IHFC's own, so watch their site for open calls. The centre at DTU will review and support your proposal before you send it.
Where to apply
Other DTU Innovation and Incubation Foundation (DTU-IIF) programmes
- DTU-IIF Incubation ProgrammeThe foundation's main incubation door, open to early-stage founders building technology-driven ventures, with no requirement to be from the university.
- NIDHI i-TBI seed support for women-led startupsA Department of Science and Technology route giving milestone-based grant support to women-led technology startups, with its own Ignition Grant guidelines for building a physical prototype.
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme at DTU-IIFDTU-IIF is one of the incubators you can name on the national Startup India seed fund application, for DPIIT-recognised startups incorporated within the last two years.
- YUKTI route for DTU innovatorsThe campus-only path: DTU students, alumni, faculty and staff submit ideas to the national YUKTI repository, and verified entries are referred into DTU-IIF for incubation.
- MSME Innovative Scheme guidanceGuidance, not a programme of its own — DTU-IIF helps innovators and MSMEs navigate the Ministry of MSME's own incubation, design and IPR scheme.
- Women in Tech incubation programme (2024) — closedA past women-led cohort under the DST route, now closed — useful as a guide to what a future call may look like.
Everything about DTU Innovation and Incubation Foundation (DTU-IIF)