Startup India Seed Fund Scheme at DERBI
A programme by DERBI Foundation
Seed support under the national Startup India scheme, listed among DERBI's currently open programmes.
At a glance
| Best for | Startups needing seed capital for proof of concept, trials or market entry |
|---|---|
| Stage | Prototype – Early revenue |
| Cost | Free |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | Startup India |
About Startup India Seed Fund Scheme at DERBI
DERBI disburses the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, which supports proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialisation — the stage before a startup can raise from angels, venture capital or a bank. It is one of three items on DERBI's Current Programs page.
What you get
- Seed funding for selected startups
- Free access to DERBI's prototyping labs and a MathWorks licence
- One-on-one mentoring and customised incubation support
- Networks and connects, intellectual property and certification guidance, and go-to-market help
Who can apply: DERBI publishes no eligibility criteria of its own on this page — the national scheme's rules apply, so check them on the Startup India seed fund site and ask DERBI what it adds.
How to apply: Pitch To Us form, selecting SISFS.
One caution: the page has a heading for supported startups with nothing listed under it, although its own counter reports startups invested in. Ask DERBI directly where the scheme stands rather than reading the page as current.
Where to apply
Other DERBI Foundation programmes
- PACE (Program to Accelerate Creation of Entrepreneurs)A 16-week pre-incubation programme to validate an idea, build a first proof of concept and get to a pitch.
- GALLOPTwo-year incubation for healthcare startups at proof-of-concept or MVP stage.
- EMERGEAcceleration for later-stage healthcare startups with something ready to deploy or trial — currently between intakes.
- BIONESTDERBI's bio-incubation track under BIRAC's BioNEST scheme, listed as currently open.
- NIDHI EiR (Entrepreneur in Residence)A twelve-month DST fellowship with a monthly stipend for someone leaving a job to build a venture.
- NIDHI PRAYASA DST prototyping grant for idea-stage innovators building a physical product, paired with DERBI's lab.
- NIDHI Seed Support System (NIDHI SSS)DST seed support for technology startups DERBI incubates, from proof of concept through to market entry.
- MeitY TIDE 2.0A MeitY-supported pre-incubation programme with a grant route and an entrepreneur-in-residence route.
- Prayas Shala / DigiKey Innovation LabDERBI's instrumented prototyping and testing lab, which publishes its equipment list with charge details.