Impact Innovation Nexus with Karur Vysya Bank
A programme by Forge Innovation & Ventures
Pilot grants plus an accelerator for deep-tech startups with impact solutions for public and private buyers; five startups are in it.
At a glance
| Best for | Deep-tech startups with an impact product and a public or private sector buyer |
|---|---|
| Stage | Early revenue – Growth |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Free |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | Karur Vysya Bank |
About Impact Innovation Nexus with Karur Vysya Bank
Impact Innovation Nexus pairs a pilot grant with acceleration. Forge runs it in partnership with Karur Vysya Bank and reports five pilot projects and five startups currently under acceleration.
What you get
- A pilot grant that subsidises the cost of running your impact project inside a public or private sector organisation, easing the buyer's adoption risk
- An accelerator alongside it: access to Forge's tech labs, strategic advisory, market access and investment pathways to push product, revenue and growth
Who can apply
- Deep-tech startups working on social, environmental or developmental problems in the public and industrial sectors
- As with the other impact programme, the grant is built around a pilot with a buyer, so having one matters
- No further criteria are published
How selection works: Not published.
How to apply: No dedicated route. Use Forge's general enquiry page and say that you are asking about Impact Innovation Nexus.
Where to apply
Other Forge Innovation & Ventures programmes
- Forge.FundForge's founder-facing vertical: lab access, grant support, seed investment and advisory for hardware startups, with no fixed cohort.
- Forge.LabsForge's network of seven industrial innovation labs across Tamil Nadu, for building, testing and pre-certifying hardware.
- Forge.Lighthouse — Industrial Innovation PlatformA platform where industrial companies post real problems and startups submit solutions, which can end in a monitored pilot with the company.
- Forge.Foundry — public and impact sector open innovationForge's government and impact work, including its role on the Ministry of Defence's iDEX programme and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' City Innovation Exchange.
- Impact Innovation Grants with HDFC ParivartanA closed round of pilot grants for climate-tech startups, run by Forge with HDFC Parivartan; four winners were selected from 270 applications.
- Forge.AcademyForge's education vertical for engineering students, educators and factory workforces — not an incubation route for founders.
- Forge.FastA corporate venture studio sold to large industrial firms; startups take part as the corporate's innovation partner, not by applying.