I-GNITE
A programme by GDC, IIT Madras
Invitation-only mentoring for teams that came out of I-NCUBATE with a problem-solution fit.
At a glance
| Best for | I-NCUBATE alumni teams with a validated problem-solution fit and a committed founding team |
|---|---|
| Stage | Prototype – MVP |
| Duration | 3 to 12 months |
| Format | Hybrid |
| Cost | No equity |
About I-GNITE
I-GNITE is not open to applications. GDC evaluates teams finishing an I-NCUBATE cohort and selects some of them for a longer mentoring engagement, lasting anywhere from three to twelve months. The goal is to move the technology from TRL3 towards TRL6 and get the startup to a point where commercial investors will take it seriously.
What you get
- Active mentoring of the founding team over several months.
- Support on validating a minimum viable product, finding product-market fit and a business model fit, writing a business plan and setting up core organisational processes.
Who can apply
- Only teams that have completed I-NCUBATE, found a problem-solution fit through customer discovery, and have a founding team committed to carrying the startup forward.
How selection works: GDC evaluates the startup and the founding team at the end of an I-NCUBATE cohort and invites some of them in.
Where to apply
Other GDC, IIT Madras programmes
- I-NCUBATEEight-week customer discovery bootcamp for lab-stage research teams from STEM universities.
- I-NITIATETwo-week immersion that helps STEM faculty, researchers and students judge whether they are ready to be founders.
- I-NDUCTThree-day experiential programme introducing STEM faculty and their students to what running a startup demands.
- I-NSPIREThree to six week programme for founders of science-based, pre-revenue startups at a university or incubator.
- I-MMERSEEntrepreneur-in-residence route that pairs entrepreneurs with university faculty to form a founding team.
- I-DEATEStakeholder consultation exercise that helps a principal investigator shape a translational research proposal.
- DST-GDC I-NCUBATE ProgramFree eight-week deep-tech bootcamp run with the Department of Science & Technology for research teams at TRL 3-5.
- FedEx SMART-GDC I-NCUBATE ProgramEight-week bootcamp with the FedEx SMART Center for India-registered logistics and supply chain startups.
- Shell-GDC I-GNITE ProgramEight-month AI-for-science programme with Shell GameChanger on energy decarbonisation — applications closed.