Applications Invited for NIDHI Seed Support Program NIDHI-SSP at IKP EDEN Call 2

About the Organization

We launched IKP EDEN  (IKP Engineering, Design and Entrepreneurship Network) in Bangalore in September 2015. IKP EDEN is a 25,000 sq.ft space with a prototyping facility and startup incubator rolled into one. IKP EDEN can accommodate 250 individuals and has a metal and wood prototyping facility, plastics, 3D printing electronics, and a wet lab. Currently, there are over 200 startups that have worked IKP EDEN (for an updated list, please refer to www.ikpeden.com ). Our parent company IKP Knowledge Park (IKP) has the mission to create a world-class ecosystem for fostering leading-edge innovation in India. The Hyderabad campus was set up as a not-for-profit research park in 1999.  Hitherto, IKP has supported over 260 R&D based companies from six countries, through the provision of shared space and facilities, incubation, mentorship and funding. The inception of IKP goes back to 1998. The 200-acre science park in Hyderabad houses over 60 companies that employ nearly 3000 scientists. We also run a startup incubator that focuses on wet lab research (for biology, biotech and chemistry startups). The IKP Life Science Incubator in Hyderabad has been in operation since 2007 and has served over 45 companies with infrastructure support. As part of helping out startups, we also manage grant funds raised from different organizations and channel these grant funds to deserving startups. We have funded more than 90 projects in startups in the last 4 years, serving as fund managers for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, DFID-UK, Government of India and the Government of Karnataka. IKP Knowledge Park has been recently awarded the National Entrepreneurship Award 2017 by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for the best incubation mentorship and handholding support.

About The Program

The NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI-SSP) at IKP EDEN is designed to support promising technology-driven startups with seed funding to accelerate their journey from innovation to market. Selected startups can receive funding support of up to ₹1 Crore, based on their stage, funding requirements, proposed milestones and assessment by the Investment Committee. The program is aimed at startups that have progressed beyond the idea stage and are building innovative, technology-led products or solutions with the potential to address meaningful market needs and scale. Funding may support critical milestones related to product development, technology validation, pilot deployment, certifications, regulatory requirements, manufacturing readiness, market validation and commercialization. Beyond funding, selected startups will have access to the IKP EDEN innovation ecosystem, including mentoring, incubation support, technical infrastructure, industry connections, investor networks and market access opportunities.

Objectives

The programme aims to:

- Provide seed capital to technology-driven startups. - Help startups move from PoC/MVP stages towards commercialization. - Bridge early-stage funding gaps. - Support product development and market readiness. - Enable startups to achieve key technology and business milestones. - Build a pipeline of scalable innovation-led ventures.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

- Be a registered Indian startup/company. - Preferably have DPIIT recognition. - Have minimum 51% Indian ownership. - Be developing an innovative, technology-driven product or solution. - Demonstrate commercialization and scalability potential. - Have progressed beyond the idea stage (PoC, prototype, or MVP preferred). - Have a defined problem statement, customer segment, and commercialization pathway. - Not have previously received seed support under NIDHI-SSP (subject to guidelines).

Funding organisation: IKP EDEN

Grant announcement listed on NGOBOX. Applications are made to the funding organisation — see the official announcement.