Startup Bihar

Start with certification

• Register on the portal first. Most funding routes ask whether the startup is certified under Bihar Startup Policy.
• Keep the certification details ready, because each later application builds on them.

Choose the right route

• Seed fund second tranche: for startups that already received a first tranche and have used most of it.
• Post-seed fund: for startups that have launched a product, show growth, and have employees and turnover that meet the scheme's thresholds.
• Early-stage matching loan: for startups that have raised money from recognised angel investors or SEBI-registered Category I alternative investment funds.
• Acceleration and event support: for startups joining a recognised programme or event that the scheme accepts.

Documents that reviewers ask for

• A utilisation report certified by a chartered accountant for money already received.
• A self-declared status report and a plan for how the next tranche will be spent.
• For acceleration support, confirm the programme runs for more than a month, or that the event lasts up to seven days.

Timing

• File acceleration support at least a month before the programme starts.
• Expect an expert panel interaction after document scrutiny for seed fund tranches.

If the portal fails

• The scheme documents allow an e-mail fallback when the portal is not working. Confirm which address to use with the office before sending anything sensitive, because the homepage and the scheme documents list different e-mail addresses.

Startup Bihar is the startup portal of the Government of Bihar. It is run by the Department of Industries from Vikas Bhawan in Patna, and it is the place where a startup registers to be certified under the Bihar Startup Policy. Its funding routes all begin with this certification.

The portal's homepage describes its aim as empowering local entrepreneurs with resources, mentorship and financial support so they can build scalable businesses. It states that over 1500 startups have been funded under the Bihar Startup Policy. Those are the portal's own figures, and the page does not break them down by year or scheme.

How the scheme works

The main route is certification. A startup must be certified under Bihar Startup Policy 2017/2022 before it can apply for most of the state's funding support. Applications go through the portal at startup.bihar.gov.in. Where the portal is not working, the scheme documents name an e-mail address as the fallback.

Funding is paid in stages and in several forms. The seed fund is an interest-free loan for ten years, and its second tranche is released only after at least 80% of the first has been used, and the use has been certified by a chartered accountant. Women-led enterprises and SC, ST and differently abled enterprises get an additional share under the seed fund. A post-seed fund is a loan for startups that already sell a product and show growth, repaid in monthly instalments after a moratorium. An early-stage matching loan is tied to money a startup has raised from recognised angel investors or from SEBI-registered Category I alternative investment funds, and it carries a small grant on that fundraising.

Acceleration and events

Startup Bihar also helps certified startups join recognised acceleration programmes and events. The support is a grant towards the programme fees and, within stated caps, travel and stay. An acceleration programme has to run for more than a month, and an event can run for up to seven days. The application must be filed at least a month before the programme starts.

Co-working, advice and IP support

The homepage lists fully equipped, collaborative workspaces across Bihar for startups. It also offers financial advice from empaneled Chartered Accountants and expert advice on copyrights, patents and trademarks. Co-working space is requested through a form on the portal.

Incubation hubs

The homepage names two incubation hubs, Bihar Innovation Lab and Bihar Startup Hub, which partner with institutes in Bihar. The portal does not list their programmes, so a founder who wants an incubator should check the hub directly.

Who runs it

The portal sits under the Department of Industries, Government of Bihar. Its office is on the second floor of Vikas Bhawan, New Secretariat, Bailey Road, Patna 800015. The homepage gives a toll-free number, 1800 345 6214, and a general e-mail address for enquiries.

Locations

The portal's office is in Patna. The homepage says its co-working spaces are available across Bihar, but it does not list each location.