Article · 12 min read

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS): Programs, Cohorts & Eligibility

Startup Grants India Free Beginner India

The clearest single-page explainer of the SISFS mechanics that trip founders up: you never apply to DPIIT directly, you apply to up to three empanelled incubators, and the money splits into a non-dilutive grant (up to 20 lakh for proof of concept or prototype) plus repayable/convertible instruments (up to 50 lakh for scaling). It spells out the 51% Indian shareholding rule, the under-2-years incorporation cap, and the 10 lakh prior-funding ceiling in one place.

  • Grant up to 20 lakh for proof of concept/prototype/trials, plus up to 50 lakh as convertible debt for scaling
  • You apply through empanelled incubators (up to three in preference order), not to DPIIT directly
  • Hard gates: DPIIT-recognised, incorporated under 2 years, 51% Indian promoter shareholding, and under 10 lakh of prior government funding
Open on startupgrantsindia.com ↗

It answers 2 questions

  1. BIRAC vs SISFS vs a state grant: which non-dilutive scheme actually fits my startup?
  2. Which incubator or accelerator should I join purely to unlock grant money, and what do they take in return?

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