ELEVATE Minorities 2026
A programme by Startup Karnataka
A grant-in-aid call for Karnataka-incorporated startups where minority-community founders hold at least half the equity, open until 13 November 2026.
At a glance
| Best for | Karnataka-incorporated startups with minority-community directors or partners holding at least 51 per cent of equity |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – MVP |
| Format | Hybrid |
| Cost | Free, no equity |
| Grant support | For selected startups. A place in the programme does not by itself guarantee a grant. |
About ELEVATE Minorities 2026
ELEVATE Minorities 2026 gives selected startups a one-time grant-in-aid to take an early-stage idea to proof of concept and scale it, with mentoring and incubation at subsidised rates at a government-supported centre. The call is open from 13 October 2026 to 13 November 2026.
What you get
- A one-time grant-in-aid, released against milestones
- Mapping to a K-Tech partner for mentoring and incubation at subsidised rates
Who can apply
- A private limited company, one person company, registered partnership firm, LLP or cooperative society incorporated in Karnataka
- Within ten years of incorporation, with turnover under the ceiling the call states
- An independent entity, not a subsidiary or part of a group, and no ELEVATE grant in the last three years
- At least one director or partner, or several together, from the Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh or Parsi communities, holding at least 51 per cent of the equity for the whole project
- A valid digital minority certificate with an RD number, issued by the Karnataka Revenue Department
How selection works: one pitch deck on the portal template, then in-person pitching. You need at least 60 marks to reach the Grand Finale, and the qualifying director or partner must be present in person. Scoring is out of 100: novelty and innovation 30, business model 30, socio-economic impact 20, team 10 and budget allocation 10. Winners are ratified by the ELEVATE Evaluation Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the department.
How to apply: register and log in on the ELEVATE portal, choose ELEVATE Minorities, fill in the application, upload the documents and submit; you receive an ELEVATE ID to track it. You need the incorporation certificate, the MoA or partnership deed, a CA-certified revenue certificate for FY 2025-26, a CA-attested shareholding statement, the minority certificate, the pitch deck and a notarised affidavit on e-stamp paper naming Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society as second party. Applications close at 5:00 PM IST on 13 November 2026. Questions go to startupcell@karnataka.gov.in or 080-22231007.
Where to apply
Other Startup Karnataka programmes
- ELEVATE (Idea2PoC Grant-in-Aid Scheme)Karnataka's grant-in-aid scheme for startups: two calls, NxT and Minorities, are open until 13 November 2026.
- ELEVATE NxTThe deep-tech grant-in-aid call under LEAP, open to startups anywhere in India until 13 November 2026; winners outside Karnataka move their registered office into the state.
- Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program (RGEP)A twelve-month subsistence grant for individual innovators in Karnataka taking an idea to a prototype or proof of concept.
- WEscalateThe women-founder track, run as six months of incubation followed by six months of acceleration through incubators the department selects.
- Preferential Market Access (PMA)An empanelment route that puts Karnataka startups on a pre-qualified list state departments and public sector units buy from.
- Grassroot Innovation ProgrammeSupport for farmers, artisans, labourers and technicians in Karnataka to perfect and commercialise a practical innovation.
- Startup Policy Incentives 2025-30Reimbursement claims open to any startup registered with KITS — state GST, patent filing costs and other incentives under the 2025-30 policy.
- New Age Innovation Network 2.0 (NAIN 2.0)Incubation centres inside colleges outside Bengaluru Urban District, funding student projects through the host institution.
- Local Economy Accelerator Program (LEAP)The umbrella state programme funding 16 components across six clusters outside Bengaluru — not something you apply to directly.
- Booster KitA directory of empanelled service partners offering registered Karnataka startups legal, staffing, investor-readiness and company-management help.
- Beyond Bengaluru Cluster Seed FundAn announced fund for early-stage startups outside Bengaluru Urban District; the department has not published an application route for it.
- Fund of FundsAn equity fund the department says it will set up for long-gestation innovation, weighted towards clusters outside Bengaluru; no application route published.