SIIC IIT Kanpur
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur)
One of India's oldest technology business incubators, housed at IIT Kanpur, supporting 500+ deep-tech startups across aerospace, healthcare, energy, and drone technology since 2000.
Programs by SIIC IIT Kanpur
5 open now · 12 past
UDAAN Drone Center of Excellence Program
Accelerator program for DPIIT-registered drone startups across India.
- Applicants must be at an early stage, with a minimum viable product (MVP), or in their growth/scale stage
- The program seeks startups with demonstrated initial traction and a clear path to commercialization
- The program is open to startups operating anywhere across India, ensuring broad participation
EngSUI Innovation Challenge
Support for resident Indian citizens and student innovators to develop novel ideas into prototypes.
- The applicant must be a Resident Indian citizen
- Student innovators are explicitly eligible to submit proposals
EngSUI Seed Fund
Funding for DPIIT-recognized Indian startups to scale technology-based innovations.
- - The program specifically targets startups that are leveraging technology to develop innovative solutions
- - The grant is primarily for Indian startups, reflecting the national focus of the Startup India initiative
StartinUp
Supports innovation and entrepreneurship at grassroot level with grants for startups.
- To be considered for the StartinUp program, applicants must meet the following fundamental eligibility criteria:
MSME Innovative Scheme: Design Component
Grant for Indian manufacturing MSMEs to access design expertise for product innovation.
- The applicant must be a Registered MSME with a valid Udyam Registration Certificate
- This is fundamental to ensure the entity is officially recognized and falls within the scope of MSME definitions
ADVAYA Plastic Circularity Innovation Launchpad - SIIC IIT Kanpur Cohort 2
Grants of Rs.8L-Rs.12L for startups solving plastic waste and circularity challenges. CSR-backed, IIT Kanpur.
- - Startup must be incorporated and operating in India
- - Only private limited companies with all compliances in place are eligible
- - Early-stage applicants: idea, prototype, or MVP stage with a clear execution pathway
RKVY-RAFTAAR Scheme Student Agripreneurs – SIIC IIT Kanpur
Up to ₹4L grant + IIT Kanpur incubation for student agripreneurs with early-stage agritech ideas.
- - Applicants must be student agripreneurs (individual or team) from a recognised academic institution
- - Idea must be at an early stage: idea to pre-seed; basic PoC or validation is preferred but not mandatory
- - At least one team member must be actively involved in developing the idea
IITK FinTech Spark Program
FinTech program for IITK UG students, offering grants up to ₹6 lakh and mentorship.
- - Applicants must be undergraduate (UG) students who have successfully completed their 4th semester
- - Applications are accepted from teams consisting of 2 to 3 members
- This team size encourages collaborative work and diverse skill sets, while remaining agile for rapid development
UDAAN Drone Acceleration Program – SIIC IIT Kanpur (Cohort 3)
Acceleration + ₹3L fellowship for DPIIT-registered drone/UAV startups at IIT Kanpur.
- - Must be registered as a Private Limited company
- - DPIIT recognition is mandatory
- - Must operate in the UAV/drone sector — product development, testing, design verification, or technical consultancy
RKVY-RAFTAAR Agritech Startup Scheme
Up to ₹25L for Indian agritech private limited startups.
- - Startup must be incorporated and based in India
- - Only private limited companies with all compliances in place may apply
- - Team must have formed or be part of a recognised legal entity
IITK FinTech Spark Program at SIIC IIT Kanpur
- - The program is exclusively open to IIT Kanpur students who have completed their fourth semester or above
- - Undergraduate students from all departments are eligible to apply
- - Applications must be submitted by teams consisting of 2 to 3 student members
FutureSecure AI Innovation (FSAI) Programme at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
- The program is specifically for students of IIT Kanpur
- * Undergraduate students who have completed their **4th semester** (2nd year onwards)
- * Minimum **CPI of 7
Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship CoE at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
- To be considered for the AIIDE CoE Cohort 5, startups must meet the following criteria:
- * **DPIIT Registration:** Must be registered with DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade)
- * **StartInUP Registration:** Must be registered with the "StartInUP" scheme
MeitY GENESIS EiR Grant - Cohort 2 at SIIC IIT Kanpur
- * **Stage:** Must be at the **Ideation, Concept Development, PoC, or Prototyping/Working Prototype** stage
TIDE 2.0 Challenge Grant at SIIC, IIT Kanpur
- * Who can apply? The program is open to students (final year), individual innovators, and startups
- * Focus: Participants must be working on solutions in the healthcare or smart manufacturing sectors
- * Solution Stage: Solutions should be at the prototype or MVP development stage
5G/6G Centre of Excellence (CoE) Program at IIT Kanpur
- ### Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) Fellowship
- * A basic concept note is mandatory
- * Selected EiR fellows must register their company in Uttar Pradesh within 60 days of the fund sanction
BFI-BIOME & IITK Bioinnovation Program - Cohort 2
- **For Fellowship (Individual Innovators):**\n* **Nationality:** Must be an Indian national
- \n* **Age:** Must be at least 21 years of age
- \n* **Incubation:** Willing to incubate their company with SIIC IIT Kanpur as per institutional policies
About SIIC IIT Kanpur
The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is one of India's oldest and most established technology business incubators. Founded in 2000, SIIC operates within the IIT Kanpur campus and draws on the institute's deep research capabilities in engineering, science, and technology to support innovation-driven startups.
Role
SIIC serves as the primary incubation and startup support arm of IIT Kanpur. It provides early-stage and growth-stage startups with infrastructure, mentorship, funding access, and connections to IIT Kanpur's faculty, research labs, and student talent pool. The incubator bridges the gap between academic research and commercial product development.
Programs
SIIC runs multiple incubation tracks for startups at different stages. Early-stage ventures can access lab space, prototyping facilities, and seed funding through government grants and SIIC's own corpus. The incubator supports startups across a wide range of deep-tech verticals, including aerospace, healthcare, energy, drone technology, medtech, AI, 5G/6G communications, robotics, and IoT. SIIC also facilitates connections with industry partners, venture capitalists, and government funding programs like those under DST, BIRAC, and MeitY.
Notable Alumni
SIIC alumni include Phool (which converts floral waste from temples into incense and bio-leather), Endure, and NeoPerk. These companies reflect the incubator's strength in supporting deep-tech ventures that address real-world problems through applied research and engineering.
Who Benefits
Technology founders, IIT Kanpur researchers, and students who want to commercialize innovations in hardware, deep-tech, and applied science. Startups at the ideation through growth stages can access SIIC's resources, though the incubator is particularly strong at supporting early-stage ventures that require lab infrastructure and technical mentorship.
Strategic Impact
With over 500 startups supported across more than two decades, SIIC has played a foundational role in India's deep-tech startup ecosystem. Located in Kanpur, it also contributes to startup ecosystem development outside the traditional metro hubs of Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. SIIC's integration with one of India's premier engineering institutes gives its portfolio companies a distinct technical advantage.
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