NIDHI PRAYAS

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.