Incubation
A programme by IITI ACE Foundation, IIT Indore
A twelve-month programme for startups with a working product, open to outside founders and to the institute's own students, faculty and staff.
At a glance
| Best for | Startups with a working product that want to reach market, whether or not the founders are connected to IIT Indore |
|---|---|
| Stage | MVP – Early revenue |
| Duration | About 12 months, extendable |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Paid, takes equity |
About Incubation
Incubation is the only ACE Foundation programme running today. It is built for a startup that has a product and wants to take it to market, and it runs for about twelve months, with the foundation saying it can be extended depending on how a startup is progressing. There are two ways in — an internal application for current students, faculty and staff of IIT Indore, and an external application for founders with no connection to the institute — and both lead to the same selection process.
What you get
- Dedicated mentorship, including one-to-one sessions with industry people and founders
- Support with product development
- Help with go-to-market strategy
- Legal and financial advisory
- Access to the foundation's investor network, and to seed funding opportunities
- Office and co-working space on the Simrol campus
Who can apply
- External route: an early-stage startup or an innovative business idea, a business model that can scale, a committed founding team, and a willingness to commit for the length of the programme
- Internal route: current students, faculty or staff of the institute, with an innovative idea or early-stage startup, and the same commitment
- No incorporation requirement, state restriction or category restriction is stated
How selection works: you submit an application with your startup details; the team reviews it and schedules an interview; shortlisted founders pitch to a selection committee; those taken in complete the documentation and join.
How to apply: start from the Incubate page, choose the internal or external application, and either fill the online form — you will need to be signed in to a Google account — or download the application form as a PDF. Questions go to acefoundation@iiti.ac.in. No deadline or cohort start date is published.
The foundation charges a fee that varies with how long a startup stays incubated, and separately says it takes a small equity stake in return for its support, with exact terms settled during the application. Its incubation policy document does not currently open, so ask the team for the terms in writing. Four no-objection certificate forms are described for incubatees — part-time and full-time, inside and outside the premises — but those downloads are not working either.