Which incubators and accelerators give grant money, not just space and mentorship?
The short answer
In India, look past the WeWork-with-mentors variety toward government-backed incubators that actually write cheques: Atal Incubation Centres (AIM), and university incubators plugged into the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, disburse grants and seed money, not just desks. On the private side, cohort investors like 100X.VC (~Rs 1.25 crore via iSAFE) and Techstars ($220K) put real capital in. The rule of thumb: government and university incubators tend to give non-dilutive grants; private accelerators give cash for equity, know which one you're walking into.
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Why we picked it
AICs are India's flagship government-backed incubation network, deliberately spread across the country so founders outside the metros can access world-class infrastructure, mentoring and, crucially, grant money. It's the primary source for a channel most first-time Indian founders don't know is available to them.
Why we picked it
India's most prominent early-stage cohort investor and the pioneer of the founder-friendly India SAFE (iSAFE) note, a clean example of the 'cash for future equity' accelerator model built for the Indian market. Reading how they structure cheques and cohorts helps you judge whether an equity program is a fair trade.
Why we picked it
A globally-branded accelerator with an India-based program, giving founders a clear, concrete reference point for the classic 'cash for equity' model and its terms. Comparing Techstars' offer against government incubators and 100X.VC is the clearest way to understand what the equity actually buys.
Why we picked it
The official government registry that lets you filter incubators by sector, stage and location, the fastest way to find a legitimate, DPIIT-recognised incubator near you instead of guessing or trusting a random listicle. Indispensable for student founders and anyone building outside the big hubs who don't have an existing network.
