ShelterTech

Check whether the programme is open

ShelterTech ran as a dated, two-phase accelerator in 2018–2019, and its site now states that applications are closed. Before planning an application, confirm that the organisers have announced a fresh intake rather than assuming the programme is still live.

Who it was for

The accelerator was built for for-profit, scalable start-ups solving problems in India's affordable-housing value chain or adjacent markets. To be eligible, a start-up had to be registered in India with at least one co-founder based in India; teams based entirely outside India were not supported.

What reviewers looked for

• A for-profit business model and a full-time, committed founding team.
• Evidence of traction. Start-ups with pilots, early customers or sales were preferred.
• A credible case at idea stage. Earlier teams could apply if they backed their claims with detail on their intellectual property, background and team.

How to apply

When the call was open, applicants used a detailed online application form on the website during the application window. The second cohort's window ran from February to March 2019. General queries went to the programme inbox, support@sheltertech.in.

ShelterTech was an accelerator for for-profit, scalable start-ups working on gaps in India's affordable housing value chain. It was not a standalone organisation but a co-branded programme, organised in a partnership between Habitat for Humanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter and the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE). It was run across two bases: CIIE at the IIM Ahmedabad new campus in Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, and Habitat for Humanity at the IITM Research Park in Taramani, Chennai.

The programme is not currently open. Its website states that applications are now closed, and every dated milestone on the site belongs to a single 2018–2019 cycle, with an application deadline of 6 March 2019. The description below records what that programme was and how it worked; a founder should not expect an open intake unless the organisers announce a new one.

What it supported

ShelterTech looked for start-ups with for-profit, scalable business models addressing affordable-housing challenges or adjacent markets, whether B2B, B2C or B2B2C. Start-ups with pilots, early customer traction or sales were preferred, though idea-stage teams could apply if they backed their claims with detail on their intellectual property, background and team. To apply, a start-up had to be registered in India with at least one co-founder based in India; the organisers stated they could not support start-ups based outside India through the programme.

How the programme worked

ShelterTech ran as a non-residential accelerator in two phases, each with its own cohort of start-ups. The first phase kicked off in December 2018 and the second from April 2019, and the programme ended with a demo day in July 2019, when start-ups from both cohorts pitched. Its own pages describe the length inconsistently: one page calls it a year-long initiative, while the about page and other answers describe it as a four-month programme run in two cohorts. Each phase was expected to accelerate a cohort of four to five start-ups.

Selected companies could receive financial support through the programme, in the form of equity investment, grant support, or both, with a route for start-ups that reached a higher scale to pitch the Terwilliger Center's global venture fund. The number of start-ups that would receive this support is stated differently in different places on the site, so it is best read as a small handful rather than a fixed figure. Beyond funding, the programme offered problem-solving support, access to partner and founder networks, and connections to the wider affordable-housing sector.

Who ran it

The accelerator was organised in partnership between Habitat for Humanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter and CIIE. CIIE was set up by IIM Ahmedabad with support from the Government of India and the Gujarat Government to provide seeding and incubation support, with a focus on technology and mass-impact areas. The programme also named sector partners working in affordable housing, including Brigade Reap and Mahila Housing Trust.

Locations and contact

ShelterTech was co-run from two sites: CIIE at the IIM Ahmedabad new campus, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad 380015, and Habitat for Humanity at the IITM Research Park, Kanagam Road, Taramani, Chennai 600113. General queries went to a programme inbox, support@sheltertech.in.