Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
A programme by KIIT-TBI
KIIT-TBI is a disbursing incubator for the national seed fund, which accepts applications all year through the Startup India portal.
At a glance
| Best for | DPIIT-recognised startups under two years old needing money to get from proof of concept to market |
|---|---|
| Stage | Prototype – Early revenue |
| Duration | 12 months for the grant portion |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Free |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | Startup India, DPIIT |
About Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme supports proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialisation. KIIT-TBI is one of the incubators that screens and disburses it. Applications are open all year on the national portal rather than in cohorts.
What you get
- Seed funding as a grant and as debt or a convertible debenture
- Twelve months for the grant portion; the debt portion carries a three-year moratorium
- Mentoring and network access through the incubator
Who can apply
- A DPIIT-recognised startup incorporated no more than two years ago at the time of applying
- A business idea for a product or service with market fit, viable commercialisation and room to scale
- Technology at the core of the product, service, business model, distribution model or method
- Any sector, with preference for social impact, waste and water management, financial inclusion, education, agriculture, food processing, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, mobility, defence, space, railways, oil and gas and textiles
How selection works: An eligibility check in the first fifteen days, preliminary screening between fifteen and thirty days, then the Incubator Seed Management Committee round between thirty and forty-five days. The committee scores need, feasibility, potential impact, novelty, team, fund utilisation plan and the presentation itself.
How to apply: Apply on the Startup India Seed Fund portal and name KIIT-TBI as one of up to three incubator preferences. Get DPIIT recognition first — it is a hard gate.
Where to apply
Other KIIT-TBI programmes
- Incubation at KIIT-TBIThe always-open route into KIIT-TBI: physical or virtual incubation, with or without funding assistance.
- DST NIDHI PRAYASA twelve-month product development grant for turning an innovative idea into a working prototype. Between calls at the time of checking.
- DST NIDHI EIR (Entrepreneur-in-Residence)A twelve-month monthly fellowship so a graduate can work full-time on a technology business idea. Between calls at the time of checking.
- DST NIDHI AcceleratorA six-month accelerator for startups past market validation, ending in an investor Demo Day. Registrations closed at the time of checking.
- DST NIDHI Seed Support System (NIDHI-SSS)Seed support as a soft loan, equity or an equity-linked instrument for companies already incubated at KIIT-TBI.
- MeitY TIDE 2.0 GrantA twelve-month grant-in-aid to take a proof of concept to a prototype or MVP. Between calls at the time of checking.
- MeitY TIDE 2.0 EIRA twelve-month prototype development fellowship for individuals moving from concept to a working prototype. Between calls at the time of checking.
- MeitY SAMRIDH AcceleratorA six-month accelerator with matching investment for product startups ready to scale. Closed at the time of checking.
- GENESIS EiR (Entrepreneur-in-Residence)A twelve-month deep-tech grant for founders from Tier II and Tier III cities, run under MeitY's GENESIS centre at KIIT-TBI.
- BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)BIRAC's early-stage biotech grant, run over 18 months. Call-25 was open at the time of checking.
- BIRAC BIG North EastA special BIG call for the North East, run over 24 months. Closed at the time of checking.
- BIRAC SEED FundEquity-based investment for life science companies with a proof of concept and a prior round behind them. Closed at the time of checking.
- BIRAC LEAP FundEquity-based investment to pilot and commercialise a life science product at technology readiness level 7 or above. Closed at the time of checking.
- Social Innovation Immersion Program (SIIP)An eighteen-month BIRAC fellowship for young social innovators, run through KIIT-TBI's SPARSH centre.
- iDEX Partner Incubator (defence innovation)KIIT-TBI is an iDEX partner incubator, supporting defence innovators through the Ministry of Defence's challenge programmes.
- Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD)Boeing's national student and pre-seed competition, run in India with KIIT-TBI as partner.