DST NIDHI-PRAYAS
A programme by Foundation for Technology & Business Incubation (FTBI), NIT Rourkela
A prototype grant for individual innovators and very early startups building a physical product — currently between intakes.
At a glance
| Best for | Individual innovators and companies under seven years old building a physical product prototype |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Prototype |
| Duration | 18 months |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Free, no equity |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
| Run with | Department of Science and Technology |
About DST NIDHI-PRAYAS
NIDHI-PRAYAS is DST's route from idea to prototype, and FTBI runs it as a PRAYAS centre. The published last date was 7 January 2025, so it is between intakes. It is the one FTBI scheme that takes an innovator with no company at all.
What you get
- A proof-of-concept grant to turn an idea into a working physical prototype, with a project window of 18 months
- IP stays with the innovator or the startup
- Use of FTBI's Fab Lab and workshop equipment
Who can apply
- An individual innovator with no startup, or the founder of one, aged 18 or over and an Indian citizen
- If you have a company: incorporated in India, at least 51% held by Indian citizens, under seven years old, with modest turnover in every year since inception, and no other funding for the same prototype
- Your prototype must be a physical product — pure software, e-commerce, services and app-only ideas are excluded
- Prototypes already past the prototype stage are not eligible
- Innovators in employment or still studying need a no-objection certificate from their organisation, collected from the FTBI office
Priority areas are manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, clean tech, energy, water and IoT. Preference goes to women innovators, young innovators, and applicants who have bootstrapped or have co-investment committed.
How selection works: a monitoring committee at the PRAYAS centre decides, and may approve a smaller amount than you asked for. Its decision is final. You cannot take NIDHI-PRAYAS and NIDHI-EIR support in parallel, or PRAYAS support more than once.
How to apply: through the application link on FTBI's NIDHI-PRAYAS page when a round is open.
Where to apply
Other Foundation for Technology & Business Incubation (FTBI), NIT Rourkela programmes
- Incubation at FTBIOn-campus incubation at NIT Rourkela, open to outside founders as well as the institute's own students, alumni and faculty.
- MeitY GENESISMeitY Startup Hub's scheme for startups in smaller Indian cities, with a matching-investment route and a pilot-project route, hosted at FTBI.
- FTBI-TEXMiN Mining CPS Centre of Excellence grantsThree grants for mining and cyber-physical systems work, run with the TEXMiN Foundation and open only to people affiliated with NIT Rourkela.
- MCL Seed FundSeed capital from Mahanadi Coalfields' corporate social responsibility budget, for companies already incubated at FTBI.
- MeitY TIDE 2.0MeitY's technology incubation scheme, with an entrepreneur-in-residence track and a prototyping grant — currently between intakes.
- DST NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-ResidenceA DST fellowship for first-generation founders leaving a job or a degree to work on a technology business full time — currently between intakes.
Everything about Foundation for Technology & Business Incubation (FTBI), NIT Rourkela