Welcome to iCreate, India’s leading incubator for tech-based startups

Startups need the right set of nurturing and enabling factors in order to thrive. As India’s largest institution for transforming startups based on technology innovation into successful businesses, iCreate provides everything that goes into turning an idea into a successful sustainable business, whether it is mentoring, infrastructure support, market connects or funding.

iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway

Your gateway to the best prototype-stage funding options

For your startup at proof-of-concept or prototype development stage, iCreate acts as a gateway by providing many schemes from Government Gujarat as well as Government of India. After evaluating your application, we assess which scheme provides the best fit for your project. iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway helps you maximise your odds of securing funding and enable you to give your innovation a tangible shape.
Eligibility criteria for applicants:
  • You should be an individual innovator, student, or startup
  • You should be an Indian citizen
  • Your project should be in the idea-to-POC development stage, or have a POC ready
  • Your project should relate to hardware or software-based technology innovation
  • In case of the grant by the Government of Gujarat, your startup should be registered as an LLP or private limited company in Gujarat
To get maximum benefit from this programme, iCreate strongly recommends that applicants should reside on campus. Such projects will also be given greater preference in selection.

Funding schemes available through iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway



Technology Exploration Cell grant

from 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 lakh, and the proofof-concept must be developed in 90 days. The grant is completely no-cost and nonreturnable, 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 2 lakh

Apply Here

NIDHI-PRAYAS

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-authorised Technology Business Incubator and DST-authorised PRAYAS Centre
The NIDHI-PRAYAS grant is handled by iCreate in its capacity as an authorised 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 Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Industry 4.0, Electric Vehicles, Smart Cities, Agritech, Meditech, Healthtech and Digitisation

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 10 lakh

Apply Here

Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) 2.0

by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt of India

TIDE 2.0 envisages 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 an authorized 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 lakh 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 lakh 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 7 lakh

Apply Here

Startup Gujarat

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 lakh for both Product Development and Go-to-market, for a duration of 12 months.


Grant up to Rs 30 lakh

Apply Here

iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway offers

Funding++

In addition to funding, iCreate offers holistic support* to your startup:
  • Business and technical mentorship
  • Capacity building workshops
  • Access to workspace 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
  • Corporate connects & POC
  • Investor connects
*Some are chargeable services
Apply Here
For any query write to application@icreate.org.in
Or
Call on 09099843432
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