WEstart
A programme by Gujarat Student Startup and Innovation Hub (i-Hub)
i-Hub's programme for women founders, running from a one-month capacity-building track through nine months of incubation.
At a glance
| Best for | Women founders and innovators |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Growth |
| Duration | Initiate: 1 month. Ascent: 3 months pre-incubation plus 9 months incubation. Cruize: 9 months. |
| Format | Hybrid |
| Run with | WE Hub, Government of Telangana |
About WEstart
WEstart is i-Hub's dedicated programme for women innovators and founders, launched in December 2020. It runs as four connected tracks.
What you get
- WEstart Initiate: a one-month capacity-building programme for start/early-stage women-led startups
- WEstart Ascent: three months of pre-incubation followed by nine months of incubation, aimed at scale/growth-stage startups
- WEstart Cruize: a nine-month incubation programme, with light-touch monitoring and occasional access to services like co-working space
- WEnture: an online pre-incubation and incubation track run jointly with WE Hub, the Telangana government's women's incubator, for women founders from both Gujarat and Telangana
Who can apply
- Women founders and innovators, at stages ranging from idea to growth
Mentoring, growth-hacking support, capacity building, funding support, market access and community networking run across the tracks.
Where to apply
Other Gujarat Student Startup and Innovation Hub (i-Hub) programmes
- Startup Srujan Seed Support (S4)i-Hub's flagship seed grant for taking a proof of concept to the product or market stage.
- Startup Growi-Hub's 18-month full incubation track, ending in a certificate from a recognised government university.
- Mind to Market (M2M) Open Innovation ChallengeAn open innovation challenge with sector-specific problem statements, including Defence and Energy tracks.
- Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (IPFC)A state-level IP support desk at i-Hub covering registration, commercialisation and a national filing grant.
- Startup RISE / Startup ConclaveAn annual investor-pitching event held as part of i-Hub's Startup Conclave in Gandhinagar.
- Startup ClinicOn-demand mentorship from i-Hub's empanelled legal, accounting, technology, marketing and peer experts.
- Startup ManakLinks startups that have reached MVP stage to testing and certification labs at reduced cost.
Everything about Gujarat Student Startup and Innovation Hub (i-Hub)