NIDHI-PRAYAS at Guwahati Biotech Park

Guwahati Biotech Park announces its own call for NIDHI-PRAYAS and runs the screening committee, the project monitoring committee and the local monitoring committee that reviews progress. The last application date published on the park's page has passed and no later call is listed, so treat this as between intakes and check the page before preparing anything.

What you get

• Grant support for building a prototype or proof of concept
• One-on-one business and commercialisation advisory
• Connections to partners, vendors, customers and investors
• Working space and access to the park's laboratories and library resources

Who can apply

• An individual innovator who is an Indian citizen, at least 18 on the date of application, with government-approved proof of nationality; for a team, one lead innovator applies and receives the support
• An existing incubatee applying as a company must be less than two years old, developing a prototype for a new product it has not already received similar support for, and without significant revenue at the time of applying
• The project must involve physical product development — software-only projects and pure academic research are not eligible
• Doctoral and other long-term research students, and professors or academicians teaching at an academic or R&D institute, are not eligible
• A no-objection certificate is needed from your institution if you study or work at one, and from the IP owner if you are building on institutional IP
• Support can be taken only once, and not if similar support has been sought from another Government of India body for the same concept

How selection works: The park screens applications through a committee against qualifying criteria, shortlisted applicants present their proposal to the project monitoring committee, and the park informs those selected. Preference may be given to innovators who have bootstrapped or hold a co-investment commitment, who have a clear commercialisation or startup road map, and to women and young innovators. The project runs up to eighteen months, extendable by six months on the decision of the local monitoring committee at the park.

How to apply: Apply when the park announces the call on its NIDHI-PRAYAS page. Selected innovators register for the park's pre-incubation or incubation programme for the duration of the project.