Tool · program page + onboarding

GeM Startup Runway, Sell Directly to Government Buyers

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) · gem.gov.in Free Intermediate India

The dedicated on-ramp for DPIIT startups to list innovative products even without a pre-existing category, and the mechanism that turns a pilot trial into a listed, orderable product across ministries. This is how a first pilot becomes a repeatable business.

  • Covers 14 DPIIT-approved segments including AI, cybersecurity, cleantech, healthtech, agritech and robotics.
  • Product trials run 15 days and service trials 8-16 weeks; three government buyer ratings get you listed.
  • Exempts prior turnover and experience, so a zero-revenue startup can still get in front of buyers.
  • 30,000+ startups have used it to transact ₹37,000+ crore, proof the pilot-to-scale path is real.
Open on gem.gov.in ↗

It answers 6 questions

  1. How do I actually sell to the government, where do I find the buyers?
  2. How do government tenders and procurement actually work for a tiny startup?
  3. Do I need certifications or empanelment to sell to a ministry?
  4. I'm a DPIIT-recognised startup, what procurement relaxations do I actually get?
  5. How do I turn one government pilot into a repeatable business?
  6. Is selling to government even worth it for an early-stage startup?

Read with it

  1. The single-point access to tenders published across central ministries and departments, the tender side of government selling... eprocure.gov.in Tool · live tender portal Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP), Government Tenders National Informatics Centre / Ministry of Finance
  2. The authoritative, government-hosted explanation of exactly what a DPIIT-recognised startup gets in public procurement. If you... startupindia.gov.in Article · single-page policy explainer Procurement by Government, Public Procurement Benefits for DPIIT Startups Startup India (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry
  3. This is the primary channel for selling products and services to the Indian government, a Section 8 company under the Ministry... gem.gov.in Tool · self-serve portal + onboarding modules Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Official Seller Portal Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
  4. A government-published, startup-specific walkthrough of how public procurement works, tenders, GeM, exemptions, and the process... startupindia.gov.in Article · guide (PDF, ~1 MB) Startup Guide to Public Procurement (Official PDF) Startup India / Invest India
  5. The single biggest killer of government-selling startups is the payment gap, not the sale. TReDS is the RBI-regulated fix, turn... sidbi.in Tool · explainer + platform links TReDS, Bill Discounting to Survive Slow Government Payments (SIDBI) SIDBI
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