Teerthanker Mahaveer University

Choosing the right route

• For a first-time founder with an idea, the Pre-Incubation Program is the stated entry point, and it lasts three months.
• For a founder who already has a prototype or early traction, the twelve-month Incubation Program is the next stage.
• For an early-stage founder in Uttar Pradesh who is DPIIT-recognised or eligible, check the StartinUP scheme page against the sector list before applying.
• For a first-generation technology founder at ideation or validation stage, check the GENESIS eligibility list before applying.

How applications work

• Apply through the startup enquiry form on the incubator site. The form asks for a founder profile, a short startup overview and the kind of engagement wanted.
• For StartinUP, submit on the StartinUP portal with guidance from the centre. The page offers a 15-minute screening call before applying.
• Applications for the StartinUP route are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the page says the scheme is limited to 25 startups per incubator per year.

How selection works

• Pre-incubation selection runs through pre-screening, a meeting with founders, a skill assessment and onboarding.
• Incubation progression depends on a pitch to a jury.
• GENESIS selection runs through pre-screening, pitch evaluation, incubation and funding.

What reviewers look for

• Founders committed to working full-time on the startup.
• A clear plan for using any grant, such as prototype development or market research, for GENESIS applicants.
• A startup at the stage and in the sector each scheme names.

For questions before applying, the centre lists a general inbox at incubator@tmu.ac.in and a phone number on its contact page.

TMU Business Incubation Centre, branded TMU Incubator, is the startup support arm of Teerthanker Mahaveer University in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. It is run from the university campus on N.H.-9, Delhi Road, and describes itself as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship, built to help early founders turn ideas into working businesses.

The centre offers both physical and virtual incubation. It states that it welcomes startups from all domains, whether or not they have any affiliation with the university. Its stated aim is to provide an environment for creativity, practical business support and mentorship, with access to resources and a network of industry collaborations.

How programmes work

The centre runs its incubation as a sequence of stages. A founder usually starts with a pre-incubation programme of three months, which covers mentoring, access to labs for prototyping, skill bootcamps and co-working space. Those who complete it can move into a twelve-month incubation programme, which adds a pitch to a jury, support for building prototypes and minimum viable products, and market access support. Startups that need more time can continue into an extended incubation programme, whose length depends on the startup's own needs, with acceleration support and specialist industry guidance.

The centre also works with two government schemes. Under the Uttar Pradesh government's StartinUP scheme, the centre states that it is an approved implementation partner and that founders apply through it. Under MeitY's GENESIS scheme, the page says that Teerthanker Mahaveer Innovation Foundation implements the scheme on behalf of the ministry. Both schemes have their own eligibility rules, which are set out on the centre's pages, and the centre notes that benefits depend on eligibility, government approvals and scheme guidelines.

Who can apply

The StartinUP route is aimed at early-stage startups, from idea to minimum viable product, that are DPIIT-recognised or eligible, and whose founders are committed to building full-time in Uttar Pradesh. Its focus sectors are listed as AgriTech, HealthTech, EdTech, AI, sustainability and deep tech. The page says the scheme is limited to 25 startups per incubator per year.

The GENESIS route is aimed at first-generation entrepreneurs who are Indian citizens, aged 18 or over, and committed to working full-time on a technology startup at the ideation, validation or very early stage. The page sets out further conditions on incorporation, originality and how any grant would be used.

Facilities

The centre's infrastructure page shows its incubation space, co-working area, conference room, prototyping and makerspace areas, a fabrication lab, an IoT lab, a smart classroom and an intellectual property cell. Its pages list a physical incubation space, and the centre also runs a virtual route for founders who cannot be on campus.

Mentoring and networking

The centre describes its mentors as experienced domain experts, and its pages mention workshops, expert mentorship from industry figures and networking with partners. Its partner page groups supporters into government partners and ecosystem partners. The centre also publishes news of its leadership talk series and innovation events, which give founders a sense of the activity around the programmes.

Scale

The centre's pages do not publish a current count of startups supported. The startups page lists the sectors of the ventures it has incubated, such as digital marketing, healthcare services, EdTech and information technology, but it does not give a total.

Who runs it

The team page lists a director of the centre, a director of the Entrepreneurship Development Cell, an assistant director, a director of digital outreach and technology, a partnership manager and an operations manager. The university's leadership, including the chancellor and the vice chancellor, is introduced in separate messages on the about pages.

Locations

The centre is based at Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The university's own pages also list an office in New Delhi, though the incubation centre's programmes are run from Moradabad.