Karpagam Academy of Higher Education

Is this the right incubator

• You need an innovative idea with a prototype or proof of concept.
• The idea should be able to become fundable or self-sustainable in 18 to 24 months.
• You do not have to be a KAHE student, faculty member or alumnus.

How to apply

• Submit a formal expression of interest for incubation with a business plan, using the application form on the TBI page.
• Questions go to the TBI office at tbioffice@kahedu.edu.in.

How selection works

• Initial screening is done by the TBI management.
• A steering committee takes the final decision.
• Once support is approved, sign the incubation agreement. Your company must be a for-profit company before you sign it.

Karpagam Academy of Higher Education is a Deemed to be University in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. Its Technology Business Incubator (KAHE-TBI) supports early-stage startups from the institute's campus on Pollachi Main Road, and the institute describes it as a MoMSME-approved business incubator.

How the incubator works

KAHE-TBI runs both physical and virtual incubation. Incubatees get mentoring from a pool of KAHE alumni, faculty, entrepreneurs and investors, and the incubator says it helps startups reach potential customers and investors through its network. Its standard incubation period is 24 months. Seed funding is available to eligible incubatees in the form of equity or debt. Training on various aspects of entrepreneurship is run on the KAHE campus.

Who can apply

Incubation is open to all entrepreneurs, including people who are not KAHE faculty, alumni or students, as long as the idea is innovative and commercially feasible. The incubator looks for early-stage startups with an innovative idea and a prototype or proof of concept that can become fundable or self-sustainable in 18 to 24 months. Healthcare, clean energy, analytics, life sciences and IoT are named as preferred domains. Before signing an incubation agreement, a startup must form a for-profit company.

What it costs

The incubator's own facilities are provided to incubatees at no charge. In return, KAHE-TBI takes a small percentage of equity as consideration for the incubation support. Legal, secretarial, IT, HR and payroll, and travel and logistics services are provided by outside service providers, and incubatees use them on a paid basis at preferential rates.

How selection works

Selection is a multistage process. The KAHE-TBI management does the first levels of screening, and a steering committee takes the final decision.

Campus and workspace

Incubatees are offered a plug and play workspace: furnished office space on the KAHE campus with a PC, internet, printing and conferencing facilities. The institute's own recognitions list also includes an AICTE IDEA Lab in its Faculty of Engineering, but the incubator page does not say whether incubatees may use it.

About the institute

KAHE has faculties of arts, science, commerce and management, and engineering, among others. It holds UGC, AICTE, Council of Architecture and Pharmacy Council of India approvals and is accredited with A+ Grade by NAAC in the second cycle. Its about page gives a strength of 8000 students, without a date.