GUSEC
Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council
Gujarat University
Gujarat University's zero-cost startup incubation hub in Ahmedabad, having supported 600+ startups with seed funding up to INR 50 lakh and comprehensive resources.
GUSEC at a glance
| Full name | Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council |
|---|---|
| Part of | Gujarat University |
| Established | 2017 |
| Address | 1st Floor, Atal-Kalam Research Park Building, Gujarat University Area, Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Programmes | 8 standing programmes · 1 open call right now |
| Official website | gusec.edu.in |
Programs by GUSEC
1 open now · 3 past · Filter all programs
Track record
What GUSEC reports about its portfolio.
All figures self-reported — gusec.edu.in, as of Jul 2026.
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at GUSEC, separate from the funding calls above.
Two things stand out. The Startup Gujarat Grant pays a Rs 20,000 monthly sustenance allowance for up to a year on top of seed capital — almost no Indian scheme pays a founder to live while building. And IP filing costs are fully reimbursed rather than part-subsidised, which for a first patent can exceed the value of the smaller grants here.
Startup Gujarat Grant
Grant schemeUp to Rs 30 lakh seed support, plus Rs 10 lakh more for social-impact startups and a Rs 20,000/month sustenance allowance.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Government of Gujarat scheme, and by far the largest cheque GUSEC routes.
The sustenance allowance is the unusual part: Rs 20,000 a month for up to twelve months, paid while you build. Very few Indian schemes pay a founder a living stipend on top of seed capital.
Applications go through the state's online portal rather than through GUSEC directly.
SSIP 2.0 Grant (GUSEC Surge)
Grant schemeUp to Rs 2.5 lakh in grant funding or resources for early-stage startups.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Funded under Gujarat's Student Startup & Innovation Policy. Small, early, and aimed at student-stage ventures.
GUSEC JumpStart
Grant schemeRs 40,000 for startups already incubated at GUSEC.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Funded by the Gujarat Corporate Social Responsibility Authority. Not an entry route — you must already be incubated.
herSTART
AcceleratorGUSEC's women-entrepreneur programme, now in its fifth edition.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Runs in numbered editions (herSTART 5.0 being the most recent listed). Terms are not published.
XR Startup Program
AcceleratorMeta's XR programme, delivered with MeitY Startup Hub.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
GUSEC was selected to implement this nationally-backed extended-reality programme. One of the few XR-specific routes in Indian incubation.
Patent & trademark reimbursement
PlatformFull reimbursement of IP filing expenses, subject to prior approval.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Full reimbursement rather than a subsidised rate is unusual, and for an early startup filing its first patent it can be worth more than a small grant.
Incubation tracks
The routes into GUSEC, and what each one includes.
GUSEC's defining claim is that it costs nothing: it describes itself as a zero-day, zero-cost startup support system, and no incubation fee, rent or equity term appears anywhere on the site. Across every incubator profiled here, that is the only explicit statement that support is free. The trade-off is that the largest funding routes are state schemes, and those are Gujarat-restricted.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incubation and Co-workingEarly stage startup support facilitating at zero-cost. | Resident incubation | — | startup support, co-working space |
Labs & facilities
Equipment and space on campus.
A 30,000 sq ft co-working floor with a 1Gbps leased line, a Fablab and maker areas, plus access to the wider Gujarat University campus — laboratories, auditoriums and a multi-media research centre. Broad rather than specialised: there is no wet lab or instrument park of the kind C-CAMP or DERBI run.
co-working space
state-of-the-art labs
Access via Gujarat University
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
Recognitions & empanelments
Official approvals this incubator holds.
The DST NIDHI-TBI grant is national, while Startup Gujarat and SSIP 2.0 are Government of Gujarat schemes — so the largest funding routes here are aimed at founders based in the state. The facilities, mentoring and national routes are open more broadly.
MeitY TIDE Node· 2020
MSME Host Institute· 2022
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)· 2022
NIDHI Seed Support System (SSS) scheme· 2020
Technology Business Incubator (TBI)· 2018
Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP)
Education Department, Government of Gujarat
Nodal Institute for Startup Assistance Scheme
Industries Commissionerate, Government of Gujarat
Atal Incubation Centre (AIC-GUSEC)
Startup Gujarat Scheme
Industries Commissionerate, Government of Gujarat
Zero-cost, but Gujarat-shaped
GUSEC is the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council, a Section 8 not-for-profit chaired by the university's Vice-Chancellor, with a stated ambition to convert one percent of Gujarat's 1.5 million higher-education students into entrepreneurs.
What makes it unusual. It says plainly that it costs nothing — zero-day, zero-cost. No incubation fee, no rent, no equity. Of the incubators profiled here, GUSEC is the only one to state that explicitly; the rest simply omit their terms, which is a different thing.
The catch is geography, not money. The Startup Gujarat Grant (up to Rs 30 lakh, plus Rs 10 lakh more for social impact and a Rs 20,000 monthly sustenance allowance) and SSIP 2.0 are both Government of Gujarat schemes. They are the largest routes GUSEC offers and they are state-restricted. A founder outside Gujarat gets the facilities, the mentoring and the national NIDHI routes, but not the money that makes GUSEC distinctive.
Two underrated benefits. The sustenance allowance pays a founder to live while building, which almost no Indian scheme does. And patent and trademark filing costs are reimbursed in full rather than part-subsidised — for a first filing, often worth more than the Rs 2.5 lakh SSIP grant.
Best fit: Gujarat-based student and early-stage founders, and anyone building in XR, given GUSEC runs Meta's XR Startup Program with MeitY Startup Hub.
About GUSEC
Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC) is one of India's leading startup support systems, established in 2017 at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. GUSEC has set an unprecedented benchmark by facilitating incubation at zero cost to founders, making it one of the most accessible incubators in the country.
Since inception, GUSEC has supported the incubation of over 600 startups, housing 100+ innovative tech and non-tech ventures. Key programs include GUSEC Seed (providing seed funding up to INR 50 lakh through investment against equity or debt), GUSEC Surge (a resource-access program for early-stage startups), and government funding disbursement as a Nodal Institute under Gujarat's startup scheme. GUSEC also provides patent and trademark support through an IP Cell with full reimbursement for filing expenses.
GUSEC additionally operates AIC-GUSEC, supported by NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission, expanding its incubation reach.
Who Benefits
Early-stage founders, student entrepreneurs, and innovators across Gujarat seeking zero-cost incubation, seed funding, IP support, and access to government startup schemes through a university-backed ecosystem.
Who they work with
Stage
Sectors
Technology
Tags
Frequently asked questions about GUSEC
What is the full form of GUSEC?
GUSEC stands for Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council.
What does GUSEC do?
Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC) is one of India's leading startup support systems, established in 2017 at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad.
Where is GUSEC located?
GUSEC is located at 1st Floor, Atal-Kalam Research Park Building, Gujarat University Area, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
What programs does GUSEC run?
GUSEC currently has 1 open programme: SSIP 2.0 PoC Support at GUSEC. 3 further programmes have run in the past.
What sectors does GUSEC support?
GUSEC works with startups in Technology, Social Impact, Healthcare, Education and CleanTech.
What stage of startup does GUSEC support?
GUSEC supports startups at the Ideation, Validation and Early Revenue stages.
What facilities does GUSEC offer?
GUSEC offers co-working space. Incubatees also get access to state-of-the-art labs through its host institution.
Is GUSEC government recognised?
GUSEC holds the following recognitions and affiliations: MeitY TIDE Node, MSME Host Institute, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), NIDHI Seed Support System (SSS) scheme, Technology Business Incubator (TBI) and Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP).
How do I apply to GUSEC?
Applications run through each programme's own call. GUSEC lists 1 open programme — check the programme page for its deadline and eligibility, or apply via https://gusec.edu.in/.
When was GUSEC founded?
GUSEC was founded in 2017. It operates as an academic.
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