Dhirubhai Ambani University

Check you are eligible before you apply

• DCEI's incubation is open to DA-IICT graduates. Founders from outside the institute should look at the state scheme route instead.
• Register the company under the Companies Act, or be ready to register within three months of joining.
• If you are a student, you can join as part of a team, but a student cannot lead the proposal.

How to apply

• Download the incubation rules and the business proposal documents from the DCEI apply page.
• Send the completed business proposal by email to ceid@daiict.ac.in.
• For the state scheme route, fill in the Business Proposal Application under the Government of Gujarat Start-ups and Innovation scheme and send it to the same address.

What reviewers look for

• A product with real technology content and a clear innovation.
• Intellectual property already created, or a credible path to creating it.
• A committed core team, with promoters who contribute.
• A realistic view of funding needs and a break-even period.

The DAU Centre for Entrepreneurship and Incubation (DCEI) is the startup incubator of Dhirubhai Ambani University in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It was set up in 2011 at the university's campus, formerly DA-IICT, to build an entrepreneurial mindset among students and to help ICT-based ventures start and grow.

How DCEI works

DCEI offers physical incubation to companies on its campus. Incubatees get individual office space, computers, internet and telephone lines, along with shared printing and secretarial support where available. Stay is set at up to two years, and it can be extended by one more year if the work progress supports it. Seed loan support is available to some incubatees on merit and need, but admission does not guarantee a loan, and a seed loan is only available for physical incubation.

The centre also gives access to a pool of mentors in technology, finance and legal matters, and arranges meetings with visitors to the campus such as alumni and industry professionals, plus networking seminars.

Who can apply

Admission to DCEI is currently open to graduates of DA-IICT. Students still in a programme of study, other than in their final year, can join a team, but cannot be the sole part of a proposal. A company must be registered under the Companies Act, or complete registration within three months of joining.

DCEI also acts as a nodal institute under the Government of Gujarat's Start-ups and Innovation scheme. Under that state policy, an individual or group with an innovative idea can apply for assistance, subject to approval by the scheme's committee. DCEI helps applicants prepare the business proposal for that route.

How selection works

Applicants send an executive summary with a business plan. The DCEI executive council screens the plan, and applicants may be invited to present it. External experts review the plan for technical, business and financial strength. DCEI judges the strength of the product, its intellectual property, the core team, funding needs and the break-even period. DCEI decides at its own discretion and does not have to give reasons for a rejection.

Locations

DCEI operates from the Gandhinagar campus, at Gandhinagar 382 007, Gujarat.

Who runs it

DCEI has a governing council chaired by the Director of DA-IICT Gandhinagar, an executive council, staff and a student executive council. Its work is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and it is recognised by the Industries Commissionerate of the Government of Gujarat.