Up to ₹50L
Academic
IIT Mandi Catalyst
IIT Mandi
Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, IndiaEst. 2016Coworking
IIT Mandi's award-winning TBI — Himachal Pradesh's first startup incubator, backing deep-tech founders in the Himalayas.
8Programs
Programs by IIT Mandi Catalyst
8 past programs
Past programs
Up to ₹30L
Up to ₹7L
Up to ₹11L
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at IIT Mandi Catalyst, separate from the funding calls above.
IIT Mandi Nidhi-Prayas Program
Grant schemeGrant program for Prototype Development (Upto INR 10L).
Tide 2.0 Grant Program
Grant schemeGrant program for Prototype Development (Upto INR 10L).
AICTE ASIIM
Grant schemeGrant program for Prototype Development (Upto INR 10L).
Meity Genesis EIR Grant Deployment
Grant schemeGrant program for Deployment (Upto INR 25-50L).
Him Startup Yojana
Grant schemeGrant program for Deployment (Upto INR 25-50L).
IIT Mandi HDFC Tide Scale up Grant
Grant schemeGrant program for Deployment (Upto INR 25-50L).
Entrepreneurship Practicum
ProgrammeNew initiative for IIT Mandi students to foster a startup culture on campus.
Catalyst Kaksha
ProgrammeEducational initiative aimed at nurturing young entrepreneurs, extends its outreach across India.
Rural Entrepreneurship Development Program (REDP)
ProgrammeNurturing the Rural Entrepreneurship Development Program (REDP) in collaboration with SIDBI.
Innovation Incubation Program with AMEX
IncubationLaunch of the Innovation Incubation Program, supported by American Express India (AMEX).
Pilot Program - GENESIS Scheme
Grant schemeProvides up to funding of ₹40 lakhs to DPIIT registered startups from Tier-II and Tier-III cities for validating and demonstrating market-ready solutions through pilot projects.
Aims to bridge the gap between Minimum Viable Product and commercialization, provide credibility and revenue traction, encourage corporate/PSU engagement with emerging technologies, and strengthen industry-startup collaboration in ICT, AI, electronic manufacturing, and deeptech products. Startups must be DPIIT registered, working in ICT-related domains (IT & AI, electronic design & manufacturing, tech/deeptech products), have an MVP/working prototype, viable business plan, full-time founder/co-founder, and a Pilot work order/Purchase order from an eligible corporate/PSU/unicorn. Not for beneficiaries of TIDE 2.0 scale-up or SAMRIDH. Enabling Partners provide access to labs, prototyping equipment, workspaces, periodic mentoring by domain, business, and IP experts, business connects, and compliance support. Centers can hold equity up to 3% on behalf of MSH.
CPS-SEED SUPPORT SCHEME(SSS)
Grant schemeProvides financial assistance to incubated startups with new and meritorious ideas for commercialization of products.
Aims to act as a bridge between product development and commercialization, enable timely support, and assist startups in becoming investment-ready to raise investments from angel/Venture capitalists or seek loans from commercial banks/financial institutions. Eligibility: Startup must be a registered private company, completed a minimum of three months incubation at the TBI, be an Indian start-up (51% Indian promoter shareholding), and not an Indian Subsidiary of MNCs/foreign companies. Seed support is generally for early-stage financing for commercialization of indigenous ideas/innovations/technologies. Grant disbursed to incubator for providing to startups as a soft loan or against equity or combination. Incubator can disburse as debit/royalty sharing agreement/minority equity stake. IP generated using funding vests with startup. Funds can be used for product development, testing and trials, test marketing, mentoring, professional consultancy, IPR issues, manpower for day-to-day operations. A startup should be only funded once.
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
Grant schemeProvides financial assistance up to INR 50 Lacs to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market-entry, and commercialization, funded by DPIIT.
Aims to enable startups to graduate to a level where they can raise investments from angel investors, VCs, or seek loans. Eligibility: DPIIT recognized startup, incorporated not more than 2 years from application date, innovative business idea with strong market potential, commercial viability, and scalability, leverages technology, at least 51% Indian promoter shareholding. Should not have received more than ₹10 lakh in monetary support from other Central/State Govt schemes (excluding prize money, subsidized space, founder allowance, lab access, prototyping access). A startup can avail seed support only once under SISFS as a grant and once through debt/convertible debentures.
Idea to Prototype
Grant schemeProvides funding up to INR 4 Lakh for idea to prototype stage.
Prototype Development
Grant schemeProvides funding up to INR 10 Lakh for prototype development.
Incubation tracks
The routes into IIT Mandi Catalyst, and what each one includes.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incubation ProgramGeneral incubation program with co-working spaces and essential facilities. | Resident incubation | — | — |
| IGNITE Incubator | Resident incubation | — | — |
| Nidhi-EIR Program | Fellowship | — | — |
| Tide 2.0 EIR Program | Fellowship | — | — |
| Young Innovator Fellow | Fellowship | — | — |
Labs & facilities
Equipment and space on campus.
incubation center
coworking spaces
Prayas Shala lab
for hardware prototyping
BioNEST Laboratory
Offers advanced laboratory infrastructure
BioNEST Laboratory prototyping facilities
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
Business advisoryDesign servicesRegulatory supportIP & patentsMarket accessLegal & finance
Recognitions & empanelments
Official approvals this incubator holds.
Technology Business Incubator· 2017EIC designationselected for RISE and GENESIS programs· 2024BioNEST Centre· 2025State Knowledge Partner for Himachal Pradesh· 2025State Knowledge Partner under RAMP initiative· 2025DST Seed Support System· 2018
About IIT Mandi Catalyst
IIT Mandi Catalyst
IIT Mandi Catalyst is the Technology Business Incubator (TBI) of IIT Mandi, established in 2016 as the first TBI in Himachal Pradesh. Operating from the Kamand Valley campus of IIT Mandi, Catalyst envisions creating a "Startup Valley in the Himalayas" — a destination incubator that combines world-class technical resources with the Himalayan region's ethos. It is backed by DST, MeitY, BIRAC, HPCED, HDFC, and several state and central government agencies.
As of 2025, Catalyst has supported over 340 startups, funded 200+ through various schemes, and generated significant employment across Himachal Pradesh. IIT Mandi received the FICCI Higher Education Excellence Award 2025 for Excellence in Creating Employment and Entrepreneurship.
Programmes
Ignite Programme: For idea-stage founders seeking to validate and build an MVP. Provides structured mentorship, IIT Mandi infrastructure, and access to early grant funding.
Exploration Programme: Cohort-based deep-dive programme for prototype-stage teams, running workshops, design sprints, and market validation bootcamps.
Investment Readiness Programme: Prepares growth-stage startups for institutional fundraising with pitch coaching, due diligence prep, and warm investor introductions.
Funding Instruments
- Idea to Prototype (up to ₹4 lakh): NIDHI-EIR, MeitY TIDE 2.0 EIR, HPCED Sustenance Allowance
- Prototype Development (up to ₹10 lakh): NIDHI-Prayas, MeitY TIDE 2.0, AICTE, ASIIM, Startup India Seed Fund, MeitY GENESIS EIR
- Deployment/Scaling (up to ₹25–50 lakh): Him Startup Yojana (HIMSUP), NIDHI Seed Support System (NSS), Startup India Seed Fund
- BioNEST Centre: ₹5 crore BIRAC grant for a dedicated bioincubator supporting healthcare, agritech, and deep-tech bio startups
- GENESIS Matching Investment Programme for startups requiring matched investor funding
Flagship Events
Himalayan Startup Trek (HST): Annual flagship event (9 editions to date) attracting 1,500+ applications, 200+ founders, and 25+ investors per edition. Held at the IIT Mandi campus.
Track Record
Notable portfolio raises include Mitigata ($5.9M Series A, Nexus Venture Partners), WattCycle (₹10 crore grant from GIC Re), Medyseva Technologies (₹4 crore, Unicorn India Ventures), and Deep Algorithms (₹10.8 crore seed). Catalyst also leads establishment of 36 Pre-Rural Incubation Centres across 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh under the RAMP initiative.
Who Should Apply
Deep-tech, biotech, cleantech, agritech, and hardware-intensive startup founders at ideation and validation stages. Both IIT Mandi-affiliated and external founders are welcome. Particularly strong for founders in Tier 2/3 cities and hill states seeking non-dilutive government grant support alongside world-class incubation infrastructure.
Who they work with
Stage
Sectors
Technology
Tags
Notable alumni
Dharaksha Ecosolutions
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