FITT

Choosing the right programme

• The IIT Delhi incubation programme suits technology-driven startups building a product or process, preferably within five years of starting.
• The BioNEST facility is for biotechnology innovators and startups moving from idea to proof of concept.
• The Atal Incubation Centre serves startups at the IIT Delhi Sonipat campus.

How applications work

• Apply online. Send a short query about your idea through the online form linked from the incubation page.
• After FITT replies, create an ERP profile and upload your presentation.
• The team holds an initial discussion and may invite you to present your startup plan to the selection committee.

Before you apply

• Confirm your company is registered in India as a private limited company, with resident Indian citizens holding the majority of shares and a full-time promoter.
• Ask FITT directly about equity and fees, since these are not published.
• Check the eligibility statement for individual founders before applying as an individual.

FITT, the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, is the industry-academia interface organisation set up by IIT Delhi. It is based on the institute's Hauz Khas campus in New Delhi and manages the incubator programme at IIT Delhi. It also runs a biotechnology incubation facility and was created with IIT Delhi to run the Atal Incubation Centre at the IIT Delhi Sonipat campus.

What FITT does

FITT works across research translation, technology development, IP management, technology transfer and licensing, R&D collaboration, startup incubation and mentoring. Its homepage lists 2100+ industry collaborations, 1618+ IPR filings (1300+ patents), 500+ training programmes, 185+ technology transfers and 150+ startups incubated. These are FITT's own counts, and the pages do not state the period they cover.

How the programmes work

The incubation programme at IIT Delhi began in 1999-2000 and is one of the earliest academia-based incubators in India. It primarily supports technology-driven startups working on innovative products or processes, preferably within their first five years since inception. Startups must be registered in India as private limited companies under the Companies Act 2013. Resident Indian citizens should hold the majority of the shares, and at least one promoter must work full-time with the startup. Its facilities at the Research and Innovation Park can house more than 125 startups.

The biotechnology facility, BioNEST, is set up under the BIRAC BioNEST programme. It takes innovators from ideation to proof of concept with physical incubation, and startups that do not need product-development facilities are backed in virtual incubation mode. The average incubation period is two years, extendable where needed. Use of lab equipment carries separate charges.

The Atal Incubation Centre is a Section 8 company at the IIT Delhi Sonipat campus, under the Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog. It offers over 10,000sqft of space and operating facilities, business-planning support, access to sectoral experts for mentoring and seed capital, industry partnerships and training.

FITT's funding page describes two things. It says it makes early investments in deep-tech startups, and it also says early-stage teams can access financial assistance based on a utilisation plan. The page does not say which form a given startup receives.

Who can apply

Founders apply to the incubation programme online. A short query about the startup idea comes first, then an ERP profile and a presentation, then an initial discussion. Selected teams may be invited to present their startup plan to the selection committee. FITT does not publish whether it takes equity or charges a fee for the incubation itself.

Eligibility for individual founders is stated two ways. One statement says individuals can apply before company registration, with onboarding subject to company formation. A second says individuals and LLPs are considered only if they hold an innovation grant from a government programme. Founders should check which applies before they apply.

Facilities

The IIT Delhi Research and Innovation Park offers co-working space and an idea lounge, with single seats, shared tables, private cabins and fully furnished offices for teams. Startups also get access to prototyping facilities and conference rooms. The BioNEST facility has a 3,500 sq ft space for up to 14 innovators or startups at a time, with equipment packages for cell culture, molecular biology and downstream processing.

Who runs it

FITT is part of IIT Delhi. Startups in the biotechnology facility are linked to an IIT Delhi faculty member for technical mentoring, and FITT offers help with business plans, IP and tech transfer, and connections to investors.

Location

FITT's office is at IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016. The Research and Innovation Park is reached by the IIT and Hauz Khas metro stations. The Atal Incubation Centre operates from the IIT Delhi Sonipat campus.