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Government grants · checked 11 November 2026
Get DPIIT recognition first, then apply to the scheme for your sector: BIRAC's BIG for biotech, NIDHI-PRAYAS for a prototype, and your state's policy.
BIRAC's BIG grant gives up to Rs 50 lakh over 18 months, and DST's NIDHI-PRAYAS up to Rs 10 lakh through an incubator. The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme stopped taking applications on 31 May 2026, so check its portal for a new call. State policies pay through recognised incubators: Gujarat's seed support goes up to Rs 30 lakh.
The steps 19 answers
- What government schemes and grants can an early Indian startup actually get? Starting Up
- How do I apply to the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and how much can I get? Starting Up
- What does Gujarat's startup policy offer founders? Starting Up
- Which state startup policies and schemes can founders in India use? Starting Up
- Which grants can a small business or startup in the US get? Starting Up
- What is the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0, and can my startup get money from it? Starting Up
- What startup grants and competitions can a student in India apply to? Starting Up
- Can I get a grant or funding before I graduate, without a registered company? Starting Up
- Are there grants, funds, and networks specifically for women founders in India? Starting Up
- How do I write a grant application that actually gets funded? Starting Up
- BIRAC vs SISFS vs a state grant: which non-dilutive scheme actually fits my startup? Starting Up
- How long does a government grant actually take to hit my bank account, and how do I survive the wait? Starting Up
- When should I stop chasing grants and just raise a round instead? Starting Up
- Do I need a registered company, GST, and a separate bank account before I can receive grant money? Starting Up
- How do I claim R&D and innovation support (patent fee rebates, SIDBI, technology development funds) beyond the headline grants? Starting Up
- I'm building outside the metros. Which grants and schemes actually favor founders in smaller cities and rural India? Starting Up
- What free money and support exists specifically for first-time and student founders who've never raised anything? Starting Up
- What is the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and can my D2C brand apply? D2C
- Is it worth the paperwork to chase government grants and schemes as a small D2C brand? D2C
The readingMost used across these answers
- Playbook of Government Schemes and Initiatives for Startups (June 2026) Use · 5 answers
- Biotechnology Ignition Grant Scheme (BIG) Read · 2 answers
- Startup India Scheme (Incorporation & Registration Overview) Read · 2 answers
- DPIIT Startup Recognition & Tax Exemption (Startup India) Read
- Startup India, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Benefits & SIPP Scheme Read
- National Innovation and Startup Policy for Students and Faculty (AICTE / MoE) Read
- States' Startup Ecosystem Ranking, 5th edition: Gujarat state report Read
- States' Startup Ecosystem Ranking Read
- Grants (U.S. Small Business Administration) Read
- Government grants and loans (USA.gov) Read
The terms
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