FiiRE, Goa

FiiRE's own incubation programme gives a startup mentoring, a place to work, prototyping help and introductions to investors. It is the route most founders take in, and the other funding calls sit on top of it — NIDHI Seed Support, for instance, expects three months of incubation here first.

What you get

• Mentoring from industry experts on strategy and operations
• Introductions to investors and access to the government funding schemes FiiRE facilitates
• Prototyping support for proof of concept and MVP testing, including the lab and design centre
• Complimentary services from legal, accounting and technology partner firms
• Workshops and community events
• Introductions into Goa's tourism-led economy

Who can apply

• Early-stage startups in tourism, hospitality, travel and sustainability
• A solution that can be adapted to other markets, regions or customer segments
• A full-time founder with real expertise in the market you are selling into
• A minimum viable prototype ready, with a clear user in mind

How selection works: an internal panel does a first review of the application, then there is a feedback session, then a screening meeting by video call or in person, then formal confirmation, then an induction session that introduces the resources and the coworking space.

How to apply: fill in the online application on FiiRE's incubation page on the F6S platform. It is a paid programme — Starter, Growth and Scale plans are sold through the site's shop. Questions go to reachus@fiire.org.in.

FiiRE runs this as a NIDHI-Seed Support System facilitator for the Department of Science & Technology. It is aimed at startups that have already been through incubation here and need money and support to scale a product and take it to market. Funding is meant for technology development, risk mitigation and scaling, with most of it required to go to the startup's core objectives rather than administration.

What you get

• Grant support for selected startups, alongside continued incubation
• Mentoring to refine strategy
• Investor introductions
• Collaborative workspace
• Skill-development workshops, networking and market research

Who can apply

• Startups that have completed at least three months of physical or virtual incubation at FiiRE
• Companies registered in India, with at least 51% of shares held by Indian promoters
• OCI and PIO holders count as Indian citizens for eligibility
• Not open to Indian subsidiaries of multinational or foreign companies
• Preference for startups that have not had prior government funding

How to apply: through FiiRE's NIDHI Seed Support page on the F6S platform. There is no published deadline — ask reachus@fiire.org.in when the next window opens.

PRAYAS is the Department of Science & Technology's prototype programme, and FiiRE is one of the places you can apply through it. It is for an innovator with an idea for a physical product and no way to build it yet. The grant runs over twelve months and is meant to get you to a proof of concept a customer can see.

What you get

• Grant support for building the prototype, over a twelve-month period
• Mentoring from industry experts
• Prototyping help with development and testing
• Coworking space when you need it
• Networking and market research

Who can apply

• Indian citizens aged 18 or over; a team names one lead innovator who receives the funds
• Startups incorporated in India, no more than seven years old, at least 51% held by Indian citizens, under the stated turnover cap
• The idea must be technology or science based and the prototype must be a physical product
• No prior funding from another agency for the same prototype, and products past the prototype stage are not eligible
• You must own or have rights to the IP
• The prototype has to be completable within 18 months

Priority areas are manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, clean-tech, energy, water and IoT. Preference goes to bootstrapped innovators, those with co-investment commitments, a clear commercialisation roadmap, women innovators and young innovators.

How selection works: a committee scores submissions on innovation, feasibility, likely market impact and fit with the programme's aims.

How to apply: through FiiRE's PRAYAS page on the F6S platform.

The EiR fellowship exists to take the risk out of leaving a job or a degree to start something. It pays a monthly stipend for twelve months while you work on a technology business idea full time. FiiRE lists Cohort 3 as upcoming.

What you get

• A monthly stipend for twelve months
• Coworking space and administrative support
• Mentoring and expert connects on product, commercialisation, business conceptualisation and market strategy
• Prototyping support
• Networking with other founders

Who can apply

• Indian citizens with an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in science or engineering
• First-generation entrepreneurs with no other source of income; final-year students cannot apply
• Full-time commitment, not a stopgap between jobs
• A scalable technology idea, with a written business plan and a presentation
• You cannot be a promoter or hold more than 10% in another company

If you raise funding during the fellowship the stipend stops from the date of your first tranche. You may submit more than one idea, but only one will be taken forward.

How to apply: through FiiRE's page on the F6S platform, or ask reachus@fiire.org.in when Cohort 3 opens.

FiiRE runs the GENESIS Entrepreneur in Residence programme with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It is aimed squarely at first-generation founders outside the metros who are working on electronics, deeptech software or ICT. Selected applicants have to be physically incubated at FiiRE for the programme.

The site's investments listing marks this complete while the programme page still invites applications — confirm before you plan around it.

What you get

• Grant support to start and scale the idea
• Mentoring from industry experts
• A place in FiiRE's founder community

Who can apply

• Indian citizens aged 18 or over, first-generation entrepreneurs, full time for the programme
• Only applicants or entities from Tier II and Tier III cities
• Full-time UG or PG students with entrepreneurial plans, or founders of DPIIT-registered startups under the stated age limit
• Ideation, concept development, validation, proof of concept or working prototype stage
• Work must use AI or ML, IoT, VLSI or semiconductors, cybersecurity, blockchain, quantum computing, or AR, VR and immersive technologies
• No significant outside funding, government grants included
• Support is given only once under GENESIS

The eligibility list and the programme's own answers give different company age limits, so ask which applies to you.

How to apply: through FiiRE's GENESIS page on the F6S platform.

FiiRE is a selected incubator under DPIIT's Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, which backs early-stage startups from proof of concept through to market entry. The site marks the programme completed, so treat it as between intakes and check before applying. Eleven of the startups FiiRE lists came through this route.

What you get

• Grant support for validating a proof of concept, building a prototype or running product trials, released against milestones
• Further investment for market entry, commercialisation or scaling, through convertible debentures or debt instruments
• Mentoring, market access and networking through the incubator

Who can apply

• DPIIT-recognised startups incorporated within the past two years
• A product or service with market fit, viable commercialisation and room to scale
• Technology in the core product, service, business model, distribution model or method
• Under the stated cap on support already received from other central or state schemes; competition prize money, subsidised space, founder allowance and lab or prototyping access do not count
• At least 51% shareholding by Indian promoters at the time of application

Preference goes to startups in biotechnology, healthcare and allied industrial applications. A startup can receive seed fund support only once.

How to apply: on the national Startup India seed fund portal, selecting FiiRE Goa as your incubator.

FiiRE was selected as a recipient of an HDFC Bank Parivartan SmartUp Grant, which let it fund social-impact startups. The site marks the programme completed, so it is between intakes rather than open. Two of the startups FiiRE lists came through it.

What you get

• Grant support for selected startups at different stages of growth
• Mentoring from industry experts and experienced founders
• Collaborative workspace and skill-development workshops
• Introductions to other startups, investors and business leaders
• Help with product and market strategy

Who can apply

• Startups working on environmental conservation, affordable healthcare, a sustainable rural economy, technology for governance, growth of small and medium enterprises, or gender diversity and inclusion

FiiRE publishes no eligibility rules or application link for this one beyond a brochure. Ask reachus@fiire.org.in if it reopens.

FiiRE promoted the Ministry of MSME's fifth idea hackathon, where applicants pick a host institute for local evaluation, mentoring and incubation. Applications ran from 27 June to 14 July 2025 and that window has closed; FiiRE's listing page still tags it active, so watch for a sixth edition rather than trusting the label.

What you get

• Grant support for approved ideas, plus mentoring and incubation under the Ministry's scheme

Who can apply

• Any person of Indian origin aged 18 to 60
• Registered MSMEs with a Udyam Registration Number
• Students with a valid student ID for the academic year
• Freelancers, researchers and independent innovators

Themes were low-carbon solutions, Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies, resilient supply chains, surveillance and cyber defence, and sustainability in coastal and hilly areas. Ideas had to show at least one of eight innovation processes, and the same person could not be both incubatee and mentor.

How to apply: on the Ministry's innovation portal, choosing Don Bosco College of Engineering as Host Institute and Goa as the state, then uploading documents and the proposal.

FiiREWork is FiiRE's coworking arm, and it is open to anyone working, not only to incubatees. Margao is the largest site at 65,000 sq ft with 200 seats; the Fatorda headquarters has 110 seats across 25,000 sq ft; Panaji is a six-seat North Goa office with a small conference room.

What you get

• Open desks or private offices on flexible terms, charged monthly
• Meeting rooms, conference rooms and an auditorium at Fatorda
• High-speed internet, printing and a stocked kitchen
• A cafe on site at the headquarters
• Access to FiiRE's workshops and community events

Who can apply

• Founders and startup teams, freelancers, remote workers and small businesses

How to apply: enquire through the coworking page or write to reachus@fiire.org.in.