Startup Uttarakhand

Start with recognition

• Recognition comes first. Incentives, incubator discounts and procurement preference all depend on the certificate.
• Check your entity type. Only Private Limited, Partnership and LLP entities are accepted.
• If you are registered outside Uttarakhand, be ready to show that you operate in the state and that at least 50 percent of full-time staff are from Uttarakhand.

What to upload

• Certificate of incorporation or registration.
• A pitch deck or business plan that states clearly how you innovate and how the business can scale and create jobs.
• If you already have Startup India log-in details, use them to pre-fill the form.

After recognition

• Open the Apply for Incentives tab on your dashboard and attach the documents it asks for.
• Track progress on the Check Application Status page.
• Register for the Purchase Preference Policy if you want to sell to state departments.
• Ask a recognised incubator about seats; founders who are women, SC, ST or physically handicapped get a 25% discount.

Keep in mind

• Incentive amounts and rules come from the Uttarakhand Startup Policy 2018. Check the portal's policy page for the current version before you apply.
• Use the help desk for questions on exhibitions, grievances or regulatory issues.

Startup Uttarakhand is the Uttarakhand government's startup portal and help desk, run by the Directorate of Industries (MSME) in Dehradun. It is the nodal department for the Uttarakhand Startup Policy 2018, and it is where a startup applies for state recognition and then for the incentives that follow.

Who can apply

Recognition is for an entity, not an individual. It must be a Private Limited Company, a Partnership Firm or an LLP, and it should be incorporated in Uttarakhand or operate from the state. A startup registered in another state can still qualify if it operates from Uttarakhand and employs at least 50 percent of its full-time workforce from the state, not counting contract or part-time staff. An entity formed by splitting up or rebuilding an existing business does not count. An entity stays a startup for up to 10 years from incorporation, and ceases to be one if its turnover crosses the policy ceiling in any earlier financial year. The portal accepts Startup India log-in details, which pre-fill the basic form.

How recognition works

Sign up on the portal, fill in basic company details, upload the certificate of incorporation or registration and a pitch deck or business plan. The plan should explain how the startup innovates or improves a product, process or service, and how it can create jobs or wealth. Once the Uttarakhand Startup Council recognises the startup, you can download a certificate of recognition from the portal.

What recognised startups can claim

After recognition, log in and use the Apply for Incentives tab on the dashboard. The policy lists a monthly allowance for a limited period, need-based assistance for raw materials and equipment, marketing assistance, reimbursement of patent filing costs, a stamp duty exemption and SGST reimbursement. Founders led by SC, ST, physically challenged or women entrepreneurs, and startups in category A districts, are eligible for higher marketing support. Amounts are set by the policy and the portal, so check the current figures there before you plan around them. You can track an application online on the Check Application Status page.

Incubators and mentors

A recognised startup can take a seat at any incubator recognised by Startup Uttarakhand, on that incubator's terms. Startups run by women, SC, ST or physically handicapped founders get a 25% discount on the scheduled rates of recognised incubators. The portal lists 15 recognised incubators, including two government Rural Business Incubators at Almora and Pauri Garhwal, and university incubators at UPES, Graphic Era, DIT University, IIT Roorkee (TIDES), IIM Kashipur (FIED), GB Pant University at Pantnagar, Quantum University and others. It also lists registered mentors, and its home page gives the count as 237.

Procurement, events and grievances

Startups recognised by DPIIT or by Startup Uttarakhand get preference in state public procurement under the Purchase Preference Policy 2019, including relaxations on prior experience, turnover and earnest money. For that you also register on the purchase preference portal with your recognition certificate. The portal runs events such as bootcamps across districts, interaction meets, workshops on intellectual property, and the Startup Uttarakhand Grand Challenge 2026. Startups can also raise grievances and regulatory issues online, with resolution stated as about 48 to 72 working hours.

Scale and contact

The home page reports 227 recognised startups and 50 funded startups, which are the portal's own counts and are undated. The help desk is open on working days from 10 AM to 5 PM; call the help desk number on the contact page or write through the contact form. The office is at the Directorate of Industries, Patel Nagar, Dehradun.