NIDHI EIR
A programme by Deshpande Startups
A Department of Science and Technology fellowship that pays a monthly stipend so a technical founder can work on their venture full time. Between intakes.
At a glance
| Best for | Graduating students and technical founders moving into full-time entrepreneurship |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Prototype |
| Duration | 12 to 18 months, depending on milestones |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | Department of Science & Technology, NSTEDB |
About NIDHI EIR
NIDHI EIR is part of the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations, run by the Department of Science and Technology and backed by NSTEDB. It exists to lower the personal risk of starting up when the product takes years to reach revenue, which is the usual case in technology and research-led ventures. Deshpande Startups hosts it. Applications were closed when we checked.
What you get
- Monthly fellowship support for twelve to eighteen months, released against milestones
Who can apply
- Indian citizens
- A four-year undergraduate or postgraduate degree in science or engineering, or a three-year diploma or degree in the field plus one to two years of full-time work
- You must work solely on the supported business idea
How selection works: the scheme states preferences rather than a scored process. It favours technology ideas with high social impact, women entrepreneurs, innovators under 35, and genuinely novel ideas.
How to apply: through the form on the programme page when a call is open.
Where to apply
Other Deshpande Startups programmes
- IncubationA twelve-month, sector-agnostic programme for startups past the prototyping stage, run on the Hubballi campus.
- AccelerationA sixteen-week cohort programme for early-revenue, market-ready startups, focused on growth, distribution and investment readiness.
- YUVA ValidateA free five-week hybrid programme that helps student founders test whether their startup idea is worth building.
- Grind2GrowthA six-month entrepreneurship development programme for early-stage founders from North Karnataka.
- NIDHI PRAYASA prototyping grant with lab access, for turning an idea or proof of concept into a working prototype.
- MeitY GENESIS EiRMeitY Startup Hub's entrepreneur-in-residence track, with grant support and on-campus incubation for early technology innovators from smaller cities.
- MeitY GENESIS PilotEquity-based funding to run a paid pilot with a large corporate, PSU or unicorn. Between intakes.
- MeitY Matching Fund (GENESIS Investment 2.0)A one-for-one matching investment against private capital a startup has already received, plus a structured acceleration programme.
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)Seed funding from the national scheme, disbursed to selected startups through Deshpande Startups as an approved incubator. Between intakes.
- Bridge2Bharat HubballiA soft-landing package for growth-stage startups opening operations in Hubballi.
- Infinity Innovation LabsFour hardware labs on the Hubballi campus - mechanical, PCB assembly, 3D printing and electronics - open to startups and small manufacturers.