Do I need a registered company, GST, and a separate bank account before I can receive grant money?
The short answer
For most real grants, yes, and you should sort this before you apply, not after you're approved. Government schemes disburse to a registered entity (Private Limited is the usual expectation), and they'll want a company PAN, a current account in the company name, and often GST registration and DPIIT recognition. Set up the Pvt Ltd, open the current account, and get DPIIT-recognised early so paperwork never becomes the reason you miss a disbursement window. Student and pre-incorporation challenges are the exception, but the moment real money is involved, the entity comes first.
Go deeper, your way
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Why we picked it
If you decide against VC, this is the concrete India-specific menu of non-dilutive money: it lists the actual schemes, amounts, and eligibility rather than hand-waving about "grants exist." It walks the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (up to 20 lakh grant plus 50 lakh convertible debt), MUDRA collateral-free loans, CGTMSE credit guarantees, Stand-Up India, and BIRAC, and it names DPIIT recognition as the gateway that unlocks most of them. Use it as a checklist to see which of these you already qualify for before giving away any equity.
DPIIT Startup India recognition is free and the prerequisite that unlocks tax exemptions and eligibility for most central schemes, so register first.
The Seed Fund Scheme gives DPIIT-recognised startups under two years old up to 20 lakh as a non-dilutive grant for proof of concept plus up to 50 lakh as convertible debt.
Beyond grants, MUDRA (up to 20 lakh), CGTMSE credit guarantees, and Stand-Up India offer collateral-free debt routes that keep you fully founder-owned.
Why we picked it
The official source for DPIIT recognition, the free registration that unlocks tax benefits, self-certification, and scheme eligibility for Indian startups. Straight from the government, not a middleman.
Why we picked it
SISFS is the most accessible non-dilutive cheque for early Indian startups, and this is where you actually apply. It's genuinely founder-friendly: you apply through incubators, not a government office, and grant money for proof-of-concept has no equity strings.
