iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway

iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway is sponsored by iCreate. Supports individual innovators, students, or startups in the idea-to-PoC development stage.

Prototype Development Support by Best Incubator | iCreate Your gateway to the best prototype-stage growth options This is iCreate’s gateway to the best prototype-stage funding options.

When it comes to funding for startups in the proof-of-concept or prototype development stage, as a government-recognised Technology Business Incubator, iCreate offers a bouquet of varied schemes from a host of reputed institutions, belonging both to the Government of India as well as the Government of Gujarat.

Business and technical mentorship Capacity building workshops Access to workshop at our state-of-the-art campus in Ahmedabad Access to library and iLab@iCreate, our rapid prototyping and digital innovation lab Facilities like internet, meeting rooms, tea, coffee, and food at our cafeteria Hostel accommodation in our vibrant campus dedicated to startups Access to our countrywide network for expansion and growth Access to the startup ecosystem through participation in relevant events Incubation and funding support, post-utilisation of the grant Investor connects and Corporate connects & PoC Grant up to Rs 2 lakhs by iCreate iCreate’s Technology Exploration Cell (TEC) aims to encourage entrepreneurs by supporting them in developing a working model or proof-of-concept of their idea.

The TEC grant is residential, sector-agnostic, and projects from any domain can apply. The only requirement is that the project should have an element of technology innovation at its core. There is no restriction on who can apply, so everyone – from working professionals to students – is welcome!

And true to its name, the TEC also supports selected startups with the tools and the confidence to explore the different possibilities offered by technology – through mentoring, hand-holding, orientation and reviews at various stages. Through this grant, the candidate will receive an amount of up to Rs 2 lakhs, and the proof-of-concept must be developed in 90 days.

The grant is completely no-cost and non-returnable, and is normally disbursed in four tranches – the first tranche in advance, and the remainder tranches are subject to suitable progress by the candidate.

Grant up to Rs 10 lakhs by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India The National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) is an umbrella programme conceived and developed by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, for nurturing ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into successful startups.

The NIDHI-Promotion and Acceleration of Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs (NIDHI-PRAYAS) programme, is one of the programmes introduced under NIDHI, focussing on addressing the idea-to-prototype funding gap. This programme is designed to attract the youth to come forward to try out their ideas by developing the prototype without the fear of failure, and assess if they will work in real-life business situations.

The programme aims to provide innovators a platform where they can quickly experiment and reiterate their working models in the idea-to-market journey. Selected applicants are referred to as PRAYASEEs.

iCreate is a government-recognized Technology Business Incubator and DST-recognized PRAYAS Centre The NIDHI-PRAYAS grant is handled by iCreate in its capacity as an recognized PRAYAS Centre, and we also provide the necessary physical infrastructure, and technical and business mentorship.

The total amount disbursed will be up to Rs 10 lakhs and the project term will be up to 18 months, extendable by 6 months based on progress review by the PRAYAS monitoring committee at iCreate. We are primarily focusing on applications related to The project should involve physical product development, not software development or pure academic research.

The grant can be utilised for R&D or testing outsourcing, raw material, fabrication, business travel, patent filing, etc. . Preference would be given to young innovators, women innovators, projects which are bootstrapped or have got a co-investment commitment, and those with a clear roadmap for the startup creation or commercialisation.

Grant up to Rs 7 lakhs by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt of India Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) 2.

0 envisa ges to promote tech entrepreneurship through financial and technical support to incubators engaged in supporting ICT startups that use emerging technologies such as Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Embedded Systems, IoT.

The tech startups supported under the scheme should address societal challenges in seven thematic areas, identified based on national priorities – Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Financial inclusion including digital payments, Infrastructure & transportation, Environment, Clean technology & clean energy.

The scheme envisions creating a holistic ecosystem to support technology startups and incubation centres through identifying and creating necessary linkages. It is supported by the MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) which aims to ensure crisscrossing of technology resources across the innovation ecosystem to come out with technology solutions to various societal challenges. iCreate is a recognized Incubation Centre under TIDE 2.

0 iCreate is entrusted with the mandate of implementing key deliverables associated with the scheme, including financial support to select startups: Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR): Grant-in-Aid to the tune of Rs 4 lakh per resident startup will be provided to idea stage startups for validation and further development of their idea.

Grants: Grant-in-Aid to the tune of Rs 7 lakhs per startup will be provided to nascent startups having a definite proof of concept which are to be further developed into Minimum Viable Products (MVP). Investments: Investments to the tune of Rs 40 lakhs per startup may be provided to later stage startups that are ready for commercialisation.

These investments are to be used for commercial launch and/ or identifying product-market fit, subject to conditions specified by the MeitY. Grant up to Rs 30 lakhs by the Government of Gujarat Startup Gujarat is an initiative of the Govt of Gujarat which aims to empower the youth by promoting startups and incubators, and through them technology-based innovation. More than 60% of Gujarat’s population is in the age group of 15-59.

This means a young workforce, with an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset that goes beyond just seeking employment. As part of this initiative, iCreate provides support and mentoring to Gujarat-based startups. Grants are available for up to Rs 30 lakhs for both Product Development and Go-to-market, for a duration of 12 months.

NIDHI-EIR Programme is meant for potential innovative entrepreneurs at selected DST approved Technology Business Incubators. The NIDHI-EIR Programme would provide subsistence grant to an aspiring or budding entrepreneur of considerable potential for pursuing a promising technology business idea. To encourage graduating student to take to entrepreneurship by providing support as a fellowship.

To provide a prestigious forum for deserving and budding entrepreneurs to pursue their ventures without any additional risks involved in technology based businesses. To create, nurture and strengthen a pipeline of entrepreneurs for incubators To make pursuing entrepreneurship related to a technology business idea more attractive among options available career options.

To make pursuing entrepreneurship related to a technology business idea more attractive among options available career options. NIDHI-EIR Support will be provided in following forms: The NIDHI-EIR support recipient will be eligible for grant maximum of Rs. 30,000/- per month with a minimum level of Rs.

10,000/- per month for a period of 12 months. If NIDHI-EIR recipient raises funding or investments for their business ideas/ potential start ups, the grant support shall be discontinued from the date of receipt of the first tranche of funds. As an NIDHI-EIR recipient, an entrepreneur gets office space, administrative support and a stipend to establish/make the most of their ideas and turn innovative breakthroughs into viable businesses.

Programme Executing Partner – TBI shall guide and mentor the NIDHI-EIR recipient in business planning and execution. Our Approach & Innovation Eligibility criteria for applicants: You should be an individual innovator, student, or startup. You should be an Indian citizen.

Your project should be at the Idea-to-PoC stage or have a functional PoC ready. Your project should involve a technology-driven innovation in hardware, demonstrating clear technical novelty or differentiation. Solutions that are primarily conventional software applications or service-based businesses without significant technological innovation or proprietary technology will not be considered.

The startup should own or be developing its core technology and should not merely resell, repackage, or integrate third-party products. The proposed technology or product should have potential for scalability, wealth creation, employment generation, and defensible intellectual property. The founding team should have the technical capability to develop and commercialise the proposed solution.

At least one founder should be working full-time in the startup or commit to joining full-time within three months of incubation. The business should not have been formed by splitting or reconstructing an existing business. Founders involved in an established revenue-generating business should disclose this during evaluation.

For support under the Government of Gujarat grant, the startup must be registered as an LLP or Private Limited Company in Gujarat. iCreate strongly recommends campus residency to maximise the benefits of the programme. Projects whose teams are able to reside on campus may be given greater preference during selection.

Disclaimer: Grant support is subject to the availability of funds under the respective schemes and applicable scheme guidelines. Application Open - iCreate will start accepting applications for various Funds & Grants available at iCreate. Application Close - iCreate will close accepting applications for various Funds & Grants available at iCreate.

Announcing Shortlisted Startups - iCreate will contact Startups to organize final evaluation. Final Pitch - iCreate will organize Final Evaluation cum Pitching Session for selected Startups. Announcing Final Result - iCreate will contact selected Startups in Final Evaluation cum Pitching Session and start the onboarding process.

Onboarding Startups - iCreate and selected Startups will sign Non Disclosure Agreement and Startup will start working from iCreate Campus. At iCreate, we recognise how important good mentors are to guiding, challenging, motivating startups in translating their dreams into reality. We assign each startup a mentor or a group of mentors to shape the desired outcome as per a pre-planned schedule.

Seasoned and accomplished technical as well as business mentors guide all our projects with a mandate to drive the startup founders towards achieving mutually determined outcomes. Resident Business Mentor, iCreate With diverse experience across industries, consulting, academia and startup incubation, Dr Saiyed is a CEO coach and mentor to startups, specialising in strategy and marketing.

His areas of interest include guiding organisations in building attractive valuation, and articulation of innovations that have distinctive value propositions. Head - Technology, iCreate Highly experienced technology professional with 32 years of diverse expertise, holding degrees from India's renowned institutes. Vast contributions in Set Top Boxes, Web Technologies, IoT, Bluetooth, Cryptography, RFID, and more.

Guided research projects on media convergence, medical sciences, and mentored successful technology startups. Expertise in software development for Clinical Trials, HR, Security, GIS, Remote Sensing, and Image Processing. Actively involved in various technology forums.

Skilled in analyzing business needs, defining technical vision, and streamlining operations to deliver successful products. Continuously updating knowledge through academic and research institutions. A risk-aware consultant with deep business insights.

Head - Digital Technology, iCreate With 30 years of multinational company experience, including Quest Global, Wipro Technologies and AremisSoft, Dr. Sanjeev is a seasoned leader adept at delivering global programs across diverse domains and technologies. Skilled in strategising, conceptualising, and crafting technical roadmaps, he excels at establishing and managing niche technology practices.

Dr. Praveen Desai is a seasoned and strategic professional with a wealth of knowledge in startup consulting, innovation, and company transformation. He employs a broad strategy that includes change management, pilot execution, feasibility analysis, and market research. He is an alumnus of NITK, and his keynote sessions are well-known.

What our supported Startups have to say Startups with a vision, mission and passion need direction, support system and recognition. iCreate connects these dots and helps us stay on the track of success. Co-Founder, Fasmho Energy iCreate helped us in getting connected to like minded people and mentors when most needed.

I would like to thank the iCreate team for always being there for us anytime we needed your support and have gone out of their way to help me personally and our company whenever we faced any challenge. Founder, Aeidth Technologies Convert your Idea into Prototype and Market ready product with support of iCreate's Pro-Fund Gateway Opp. Kensville Golf Club and Resort, Off.

Bavla - Rajkot Highway, Deo Dholera, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382240 iCreate Buddy is your one-stop search and discovery platform for all startup promotion schemes offered through iCreate by Central and State/UT governments.