Government Grants for Early-Stage Indian Startups in 2026: Complete Database with Eligibility
Free Money Exists. Most Indian Founders Just Never Apply.
The Indian government deployed over ₹10,000 Crore through 145 Alternative Investment Funds under Startup India Fund of Funds 1.0. In February 2026, the cabinet approved Fund of Funds 2.0 with another ₹10,000 Crore corpus. Add to that BIRAC, MeitY, NIDHI, iDEX, RKVY, and ANIC, and the total non-dilutive capital available to early-stage founders runs into thousands of crores every year.
Yet most pre-seed and seed founders in India have never applied to a single government grant.
The reasons are predictable. The schemes are scattered across 8+ ministry websites. Eligibility criteria are buried in 40-page PDFs. Application portals look like they were designed in 2009. And nobody tells you which grant matches your exact stage and sector.
This database changes that.
We mapped 20 active government grants available to Indian early-stage startups in 2026, organized by sector, eligibility, application process, and exact monetary perks. No fluff. No expired schemes. Every entry is verified and currently accepting applications or scheduled for 2026 cycles.
Whether you are building a biotech prototype, a defence tech solution, a D2C hardware product, or an agritech MVP, there is government money waiting for you. You just need to know where to look.
Already building? Create your startup profile on Backrr to keep your traction, financials, and pitch in one professional interface before applying. 5000+ active investors prefer structured profiles when reviewing startups and opportunities.
The Complete Government Grants Database for Indian Startups (2026 Edition)
Grant Name | Sectors | Startup must have | Application Process | Monetary and Non Monetary Perks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) | Sector Agnostic (Social Impact, Waste, Water, Health preferred) | DPIIT recognized startup under two years old using technology for core product | Apply online via Startup India portal to three incubators with pitch deck and budget plan | Grant up to INR 20 Lakh for PoC or INR 50 Lakh investment for scaling plus incubator access |
NIDHI PRAYAS | Hardware, Manufacturing, Physical Products | Innovator needing hardware prototyping support with no external funding or income | Submit application to PRAYAS Centre with technical drawings and prototype budget plan | Grant up to INR 10 Lakh for prototyping and access to Fab Labs for fabrication |
NIDHI EIR | Technology and Science based businesses | Science or engineering graduate committed full time to tech business idea validation | Apply on NIDHI EIR portal to Program Executing Partner with resume and concept note | Fellowship grant up to INR 30,000 per month for 18 months and co-working space |
NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI SSP) | Tech driven innovations | Incubated at TBI for 3 months with market ready innovation and Indian ownership | Apply directly to TBI with incubation proof and detailed business expansion plan | Financial support up to INR 1 Crore as debt or equity and VC connections |
BIRAC BIG | Pharma, Healthcare, Industrial Biotech, Agriculture | Biotech innovators at ideation to Proof of Concept stage requiring translation support | Submit proposal on BIRAC website during call dates with technical details and IP info | Grant in aid up to INR 50 Lakh and technical mentorship from BIG partners |
MSME Innovative (Incubation/Hackathon) | Healthcare, Agriculture, Power, Services | Women or students with innovative ideas convertible to prototype or business activity | Register on MSME Innovative portal and select Host Institute for evaluation | Funding support up to INR 15 Lakh per approved idea and incubation support |
MSME Innovative (Design) | Manufacturing, Industrial Design | Manufacturing MSME needing design intervention for product improvement and market readiness | Apply on MSME portal and submit project proposal with design consultant agreement | Grant up to INR 40 Lakh covering 75 percent of design costs and expert guidance |
MeitY SAMRIDH | Deep tech, AI, Software Products | Product based startup with Proof of Concept ready for acceleration and scaling | Apply to MeitY supported accelerators via MSH portal with business plan | Funding up to INR 40 Lakh and investor connection services |
MeitY TIDE 2.0 (Grant) | ICT, IoT, AI, Blockchain, FinTech | Private Limited Company with definite Proof of Concept ready for MVP development | Apply to TIDE centers like IIT Hyderabad with PoC validation data and budget | Grant up to INR 7 Lakh and priority investor access |
MeitY TIDE 2.0 (EiR) | Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, FinTech | Aspiring entrepreneur with idea commitment and no other income or fellowship | Apply to TIDE 2.0 centers submitting formal business plan and investment proposal | Fellowship up to INR 4 Lakh for one year and pre incubation curriculum access |
MeitY GENESIS (EiR) | Electronics, IT in Tier 2 and 3 Cities | Individual innovator from emerging city at ideation stage without significant external funding | Apply on MSH GENESIS portal with concept note and proof of residence | Subsistence grant up to INR 10 Lakh and mentorship in Deep tech |
MeitY GENESIS (Pilot) | Cybersecurity, IoT, Fintech | Tech startup with market ready solution holding valid Purchase Order from corporate | Apply on MSH portal with valid Purchase Order and pitch deck | Funding up to INR 40 Lakh and corporate connections |
MeitY GENESIS (Deep Tech) | Semiconductor, Robotics, High innovation Tech | Early stage deep tech startup with significant R and D complexity and long gestation | Apply via MSH portal calls with detailed R and D roadmap and IP strategy | Funding support up to INR 1 Crore and access to state of the art labs |
RKVY RAFTAAR (Seed Stage SAIP) | Agriculture, Agri tech, Food Processing | Agri startup with innovative MVP ready for market fit testing and scaling operations | Apply to R ABIs via website with business plan and expenditure statement | Grant in aid up to INR 25 Lakh and 15 days incubation workshop |
RKVY RAFTAAR (Orientation AOP) | Agribusiness, Allied Sectors | Individual with innovative agri tech idea committing to one month mentoring cum internship | Apply to R ABIs via website with 2 page business idea and academic proof | Stipend of INR 10,000 during training and grant up to INR 5 Lakh |
Atal New India Challenge (ANIC) | Space, Water, Agriculture, Mobility | Prototype stage startup solving specific sectoral challenges with commercialization potential | Apply on AIM portal with prototype evidence and commercialization roadmap | Grant up to INR 1 Crore in tranches and market assessment support |
iDEX DISC | Defence, Aerospace, Quantum Tech | Tech startup solving specific defense challenge with DPIIT recognition and Indian ownership | Submit technical proposal addressing challenge statement on iDEX portal | Grants up to INR 1.5 Crore and partnership with Armed Forces |
BIRAC SPARSH | Social Innovation, Maternal Health, Waste to Energy | Social innovator identifying community gaps and willing to undergo immersion | Apply via BIRAC partners with proposal for social impact solution | INR 50,000 monthly fellowship plus INR 5 Lakh mini grant |
BIRAC SITARE | Grassroots Biotech, Academic Research | Student project with validated innovation requiring commercial translation support | Apply through BIRAC website with project report endorsed by academic supervisor | Grants up to INR 15 Lakh for prototype advancement and IP filing mentorship |
Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge | Aquaculture, Fisheries, Post harvest | Startup with MVP in fisheries or aquaculture showing commercialization potential | Apply via Startup India portal with technical specs and market potential report | Cash grant INR 10 Lakh for winners and incubation support for 9 months |
How to Read This Database and Pick the Right Grant
Not every grant is for every founder. Here is how to shortlist yours in under 5 minutes.
Step 1: Match Your Stage.
Focus Area | Recommended Grant | Funding / Stipend Amount |
|---|---|---|
Fellowship | NIDHI EIR | ₹30,000 per month for 18 months |
Early Concept | MeitY TIDE 2.0 EiR | ₹4 Lakh per year |
Mini-Grant | BIRAC SPARSH | ₹50,000/month + ₹5 Lakh mini-grant |
Big Win | No Equity Required | Build without a registered company or prototype |
Step 2: Match Your Sector.
Sector Focus | Grant Body | Primary Target |
|---|---|---|
Biotech & Healthcare | BIRAC | Life science and medical innovators |
Defence & Aerospace | iDEX | Military and space technology solutions |
Agri & Food Tech | RKVY RAFTAAR | Farming, processing, and supply chain |
Deep Tech | MeitY GENESIS | Founders based in Tier 2-3 cities |
Step 3: Check the Must-Have Column.
This is where most applications fail. SISFS requires DPIIT recognition. NIDHI SSP requires 3 months of prior incubation at a TBI. MeitY GENESIS Pilot requires a valid Purchase Order from a corporate. If you do not meet the eligibility today, work backwards from it.
Step 4: Stack Multiple Grants.
Many of these grants are non-exclusive. A biotech founder could apply to BIRAC BIG (₹50 Lakh), BIRAC SITARE (₹15 Lakh), and SISFS (₹50 Lakh) simultaneously across different stages of the same product. Stack strategically.
Step 5: Prepare Your Profile Before You Apply.
Grant evaluators review hundreds of applications. A clean, structured startup profile with consolidated metrics, team details, and traction data stands out. Build yours on Backrr once and use it across every grant, pitch, and investor conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need DPIIT recognition to apply for government startup grants?
Not always. Grants like NIDHI EIR, BIRAC SPARSH, and RKVY RAFTAAR Orientation accept individual innovators. SISFS and iDEX DISC do require DPIIT recognition.
Can I apply to multiple government grants at the same time?
Yes. Most schemes are non-exclusive. Founders routinely stack BIRAC, MeitY, and SISFS grants across different product stages.
What is the largest government grant available for Indian startups?
iDEX DISC offers up to ₹1.5 Crore for defence and aerospace startups. NIDHI SSP and MeitY GENESIS Deep Tech offer up to ₹1 Crore each. All are non-dilutive.
This database is maintained by Backrr, a platform helping early-stage founders improve fundraising readiness, stay investor-visible, and access curated investor opportunities. Create your free startup profile and get discovered by 1,000+ verified investors.
