IHFC, IIT Delhi
IIT Delhi
IIT Delhi's deep-tech hub for cobotics, robotics, and AI — incubating startups under India's NM-ICPS national mission.
IHFC, IIT Delhi at a glance
| Part of | IIT Delhi |
|---|---|
| Established | 2020 |
| Address | New Delhi, Delhi, India |
| Programmes | 3 standing programmes · 3 open calls right now |
| Official website | www.ihfc.co.in |
Programs by IHFC, IIT Delhi
3 open now · 8 past · Filter all programs
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at IHFC, IIT Delhi, separate from the funding calls above.
Schaeffler Social Innovator Fellowship
FellowshipA fellowship for early-stage startups and social enterprises building scalable solutions to India’s development challenges.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Seeks high-potential innovators with a working MVP or validated solution, pilot deployments or early traction, and potential for measurable social impact and scale. Priority focus areas include Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Water, Sanitation & WASH, Clean Energy, Livelihoods, Manufacturing Safety, Mobility, Environment & Sustainability, Social Innovation, AI & Robotics. IHFC provides innovation support, technical guidance, and strategic partnerships.
Professional Certificate Program in Generative AI, Machine Learning & Intelligent Automation
ProgrammeA professional certificate program in GenAI, Machine Learning, and Intelligent Automation, designed by IHFC and powered by Simplilearn.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Program highlights include a certificate from IHFC, an industry-aligned curriculum with 12+ real-world projects, 20+ advanced tools, and 165+ practical exercises. Participants attend exclusive masterclasses led by IHFC-associated faculty and researchers and experience a 2-day on-campus immersion at IIT Delhi, gaining IHFC Executive Club membership.
A professional certificate program in Data Analytics, GenAI, and Adaptive Systems, offered by IHFC and powered by Simplilearn.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Program highlights include a recognized certificate from IHFC, an exclusive Adaptive Systems masterclass led by IHFC-associated faculty, practical expertise with 10+ industry tools (e.g., Tableau, Pandas, ChatGPT), and 40+ hands-on exercises and 15+ real-world projects.
Incubation tracks
The routes into IHFC, IIT Delhi, and what each one includes.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| READY Program (Pre-seed Incubation) | Pre-incubation | — | mentoring, networking, technical development support, fundraising support |
| Startup IncubationSupports seed stage, early stage, growth stage and expansion phase startups. | Resident incubation | — | mentoring, networking, technical development support, fundraising support |
| Startup Acceleration | Acceleration | — | mentoring, networking, technical development support, fundraising support |
| Schaeffler Social Innovator FellowshipFor early-stage startups and social enterprises with a working MVP or validated solution and early traction. Priority focus areas: Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Water, Sanitation & WASH, Clean Energy, Livelihoods, Manufacturing Safety, Mobility, Environment & Sustainability, Social Innovation, AI & Robotics. | Fellowship | — | technical guidance |
Labs & facilities
Equipment and space on campus.
Drone Technology Park (DTP)
Located at IIT Delhi Sonipat, a hub for drone testing, research, and training.
Co-Innovation Centres (CiC)
10 Co-Innovation Centres (CiC) promoting entrepreneurship and startups in Deep Tech Domains (Robotics, AI, Machine Learning, IoT, etc).
Research Innovation Park (R&I)
Located at IIT Delhi, new hub for startups and tech innovation, home to IHFC’s office and many of its incubated teams.
Co-working & Co-location space
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
Recognitions & empanelments
Official approvals this incubator holds.
About IHFC, IIT Delhi
IHFC, IIT Delhi (I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics)
I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC) is the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) of IIT Delhi, established in June 2020 as a Section 8 not-for-profit company. IHFC was set up under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, with an initial outlay of ₹116 crore over five years.
Overview
IHFC's core focus is collaborative robotics (cobotics) — robotic systems that work safely alongside humans. The hub integrates robotics, AI, sensor fusion, autonomous systems, and cyber-physical systems research into four application domains: Medical, Agriculture, Industry, and Defence. It operates four mandates: R&D, Entrepreneurship & Startups, Skills & Training, and International Collaborations.
Startup Programs
READY Program (Research, Entrepreneurship and Development for You): A pre-seed incubation programme for early-stage founders and researchers working in cobotics, AI, robotics, drones, and autonomous systems. Duration is six months. Participants receive financial support, mentorship, access to IIT Delhi labs, and IP co-creation opportunities.
Startup Incubation: Full incubation support for seed and early-stage deep-tech startups offering physical lab space at IIT Delhi, access to the IIT network, investor connects, and technology development support.
Startup Acceleration: A growth-stage track for startups ready to scale commercially, with market access, corporate partnerships, and follow-on funding support.
KrishiTech Synapse: A specialised programme for agri-robotics startups with grants up to ₹5 crore.
Co-Innovation Centres (CiC): IHFC has partnered with 10 leading institutions across India to launch distributed deep-tech, AI, and robotics innovation centres.
Eligibility
IHFC programmes are open to Indian startups, researchers, and students working in deep-tech domains including cobotics, robotics, autonomous systems, AI, drones, precision agriculture, and medical devices. The READY program suits pre-revenue founders with a validated concept; full incubation requires a more developed prototype or MVP.
Who Should Apply
Founders building in robotics, AI-enabled autonomous systems, drone technology, precision agriculture, medical robotics, industrial automation, or defence-adjacent deep-tech. Both IIT Delhi-affiliated and external founders are eligible. Particularly strong fit for hardware-intensive deep-tech startups seeking lab access and government grant support.
Who they work with
Stage
Sectors
Technology
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Frequently asked questions about IHFC, IIT Delhi
What does IHFC, IIT Delhi do?
I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC) is the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) of IIT Delhi, established in June 2020 as a Section 8 not-for-profit company.
Where is IHFC, IIT Delhi located?
IHFC, IIT Delhi is based in New Delhi, Delhi, India.
What programs does IHFC, IIT Delhi run?
IHFC, IIT Delhi currently has 3 open programmes: SwasthyaTech Synapse 2026, IHFC Startup Incubation Program and IHFC READY Program. 8 further programmes have run in the past.
What sectors does IHFC, IIT Delhi support?
IHFC, IIT Delhi works with startups in Robotics, AI/ML, Deep Tech, AgriTech, HealthTech and Defence Tech and other sectors.
What stage of startup does IHFC, IIT Delhi support?
IHFC, IIT Delhi supports startups at the Ideation, Validation and Early Revenue stages.
What facilities does IHFC, IIT Delhi offer?
IHFC, IIT Delhi offers Drone Technology Park (DTP), Co-Innovation Centres (CiC), Research Innovation Park (R&I) and Co-working & Co-location space.
Is IHFC, IIT Delhi government recognised?
IHFC, IIT Delhi holds the following recognitions and affiliations: Department of Science & Technology’s NM-ICPS mission.
How do I apply to IHFC, IIT Delhi?
Applications run through each programme's own call. IHFC, IIT Delhi lists 3 open programmes — check the programme page for its deadline and eligibility, or apply via https://www.ihfc.co.in.
Where do I log in to apply to IHFC, IIT Delhi programmes?
IHFC, IIT Delhi takes applications through its own Accubate portal at ihfc.accubate.app. Each programme opens its own form there when its intake is open.
When was IHFC, IIT Delhi founded?
IHFC, IIT Delhi was founded in 2020. It operates as an academic.
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