NIDHI Entrepreneurs in Residence
A programme by FiiRE, Goa (Forum for Innovation Incubation Research)
Twelve-month fellowship paying a monthly stipend to a first-generation entrepreneur with a technology business idea.
At a glance
| Best for | First-generation founders with a science or engineering degree and no company yet |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Prototype |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Format | In person |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | NSTEDB, Government of India, Department of Science & Technology |
About NIDHI Entrepreneurs in Residence
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.
Where to apply
Other FiiRE programmes
- Incubation at FiiRE GoaThe standing incubation programme for early-stage tourism, hospitality and travel startups in Goa.
- NIDHI Seed SupportDepartment of Science & Technology seed support for startups already incubated at FiiRE and ready to commercialise.
- NIDHI PRAYASPrototype grant for idea-stage innovators building a physical product, over a twelve-month window.
- MeitY GENESIS EiR ProgramEntrepreneur-in-Residence programme with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, for first-generation founders from Tier II and Tier III cities.
- Startup India Seed Fund SchemeDPIIT seed fund route with FiiRE as the selected incubator — currently marked completed on its site.
- HDFC Parivartan SmartUp GrantsSocial-impact grant programme with HDFC Bank Parivartan — marked completed on FiiRE's site.
- MSME Idea Hackathon 5.0Ministry of MSME idea hackathon with Don Bosco College of Engineering as Host Institute — the 2025 window has closed.
- FiiREWork coworkingMonthly desks and managed offices at three sites in Goa, open to founders, teams and freelancers.