NIDHI Accelerator Program
A programme by IIMV FIELD
A six-month accelerator for growth-stage startups, awarded to IIMV FIELD by NSTEDB at the Department of Science and Technology.
At a glance
| Best for | Growth-stage startups ready for investor conversations |
|---|---|
| Stage | Early revenue – Growth |
| Duration | 6 months, plus 12 months of post-programme support |
| Format | Hybrid |
| Cost | No equity |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | NSTEDB, Department of Science & Technology |
About NIDHI Accelerator Program
IIMV FIELD is one of 21 centres selected to run the NIDHI Accelerator, which is aimed at startups that have already made progress on market validation. The last stated intake closed in 2022, so treat it as between cohorts.
What you get
- Six months of acceleration, virtual and in person, ending in a demo day with investors
- 50 hours of one-to-one mentoring per startup from industry and academic experts
- More than 55 hours of group sessions from IIM faculty and industry experts
- Milestone reviews every two months
- Twelve months of post-programme support with fundraising and networking
- A non-equity, non-debt grant for the top three performers in the cohort
Who can apply
- Startups at growth and scale-up stage with market validation behind them
- Its stated focus areas are women-led ventures or solutions for women, deep tech, edtech, export-oriented ventures and social ventures
How selection works: applications are reviewed internally, a bootcamp prepares startups, and shortlisted teams meet the Screening cum Evaluation Committee. Fifteen startups are selected.
How to apply: through the application link on the programme page. Queries go to nidhiaccelerator@iimv.ac.in.
Where to apply
Other IIMV FIELD programmes
- Sampannakaari Enterprise Incubation ProgramA long-term enterprise incubation programme for self-help-group women-owned businesses in Andhra Pradesh, run with NRLM and SERP.
- Naaripreneur for Her ProgramA CSR-funded programme for ventures led by women or building for women, with online pre-incubation and then incubation at IIMV FIELD.
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)The DPIIT seed fund scheme, run at IIMV FIELD as an approved incubator, currently paused on the national portal.
- TIDE 2.0 Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) SchemeMeitY's TIDE 2.0 scheme for ideation-stage technology founders, with grant support and a year of incubation.
- TIDE 2.0 Grant SchemeThe proof-of-concept half of MeitY's TIDE 2.0 programme at IIMV FIELD, with grant support and a year of incubation.
- IGNIS ProgramA rolling technology programme run with the student committee EPIC, with three entry points from idea to scaling.
- Connect! From FIELDA 100-day programme that prepares startups with an MVP to pitch the corporate clients they want to work with.
- Social Impactpreneurs ProgramA CSR-funded programme for founders solving social problems in the gap areas identified by NITI Aayog.
- Women Startup ProgramNSRCEL's women entrepreneurs programme, for which IIMV FIELD is the incubation partner in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
- MSME Training ProgramsShort residential programmes for MSME entrepreneurs and policy leaders, run with the Ministry of MSME.
- Mastering Startup FundraisingA paid thirty-hour hybrid course on fundraising, ending in a negotiation simulation on campus.
- Power Moves for FoundersA six-session offline series of founder war stories for students in Visakhapatnam, with dates still to be confirmed.
- Capacity Building ProgramsFive recurring webinar series for founders and students, two of them paid with certificates and three of them free.