Eligibility

Nature of projects

Eligible

  1. The project needs to define a technology solution to a well-defined problem
  2. The idea proposed should be innovative/ novel.
  3. Project should relate to converting an idea into a prototype or prove demonstrate key technical claims of the idea

Not eligible:

  1. Pure software development with no IP potential
  2. Pure academic research

Selection Criteria

  • Technical soundness & do ability
  • Potential business opportunity
  • Potential for social impact
  • Team capabilities & background
  • Knowledge intensity or novelty or IP potential
  • Execution & commercialization plan
  • Chances of conversion & success as a startup
  • Exceptional cases may be considered on its merit by the committee
  • Any others as decided by the committee

Applicants and Project Leaders

  1. Every project proposal will need to identify a Project Leader and an Applicant/ Grantee.
  2. The Project Leader will be a single individual who will take responsibility for executing the project.
  3. The Applicant or Grantee can be either of the following:
    • Case 1: Applicant is a single individual
    • Case 2: Applicant is a nascent start-up company

Eligibility for the Project Leader (PL):

  1. PL has to be an individual (one person).
  2. PL is required to be at least 18 years of age as on the date of call for applications.
  3. PL is required to be Indian Citizen. An Indian citizen is defined as one who is in possession of a government approved proof of nationality such as a valid passport, voter’s id etc. Exceptional cases of foreign nationals with potential for impact in India will be considered.
  4. PL has to pursue the project or startup full time with no other concurrent commitments during the project duration.
  5. PL cannot be pursuing a long-term academic/research project (like doctoral students) with significant obligations during the project duration.
  6. Applicants must have completed basic undergraduate training in natural sciences/engineering/ medicine. Essential qualification is PhD/ MTech/ BTech/ BPharm /MD/ MBBS/ BDS/ MSc / MPhil/ M Des/ MPH /MBA / MSW and equivalents, with under‐ graduate training in Science, Medicine, Engineering. Applicants with a BSc degree with at least 1 year of full-time work or research experience shall also be eligible

Eligibility of an Applicant/ Grantee:

Case 1: Applicant is a single individual

  1. Applicant will also be the PL
  2. Applicant has to qualify under criteria for PL.

Case 2: Applicant is a nascent startup company

  1. The Company/LLP should be registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1956/2013
  2. The applicant can be a nascent startup company (under 5 years old at the time of announcing of a call for applications; PLC or LLP only; under 10 years old for Biotech startups).
  3. At least 51% of the company should be owned by Indian nationals (directly or indirectly). Exceptional cases will be considered on merit basis.
  4. The PL should be the founder (or significant shareholder, implies more than 10%) of the applicant startup company.
  5. An applicant company, in which any promoter holding more than or equal to 20% of the shares or has a more than 20% benefit sharing arrangement or exercises considerable control, is a copromoter of another ineligible company or a partner in another ineligible company or LLP, then the applicant will not be eligible.