Women Startup Seed Fund – DTU IIF
Women-led Startups

NIDHI iTBI DST Seed Support Scheme

Financial assistance and structured mentoring for women-led technology startups to validate ideas, develop prototypes and prepare for market entry.

Women founders and mentors at DTU-IIF

Objective

NIDHI iTBI DST scheme aims to provide financial assistance to women-led startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization. The goal is to enable these startups to graduate to a level where they can raise investments from angel investors or venture capitalists or seek loans from commercial banks or financial institutions.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

  • The startup must have a business idea to develop a product or service with market fit, viable commercialization and scope for scaling.
  • The startup should be using technology in its core product/service, business model, distribution model or methodology.
  • Shareholding by women promoters should be at least 51% at the time of receiving grants under the scheme (as per Companies Act 2013 and SEBI (ICDR) Regulations, 2018).
  • A startup applicant can avail seed support in the form of grant and debt/convertible debentures each once as per scheme guidelines.
Seed Fund Support

How the seed fund is disbursed

  • Seed fund to an eligible startup is disbursed by the incubator in milestone-based instalments.
  • Up to Rs. 10 Lakhs as a grant for validation of Proof of Concept, prototype development, or product trials.
  • Milestones can be linked to prototype development, product testing, building market-ready product, etc.
  • A startup applicant can avail seed support in the form of grant and debt/convertible debentures each once as per the guidelines of the scheme.

Application of Fund Support

Seed fund shall strictly be used for the purpose it has been granted. It can be used for validation of Proof of Concept, prototype development or product trials. Debt/convertible debentures can additionally be used for market entry, commercialization or scaling up, but not for creation of permanent facilities or unrelated expenses.

Application Process Apply Now