Applications Invited for Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

Follow us @ngobox

About the Organization:

Startup India Hub is a one-stop platform for all stakeholders in the Startup ecosystem to interact amongst each other, exchange knowledge and form successful partnerships in a highly dynamic environment.

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization.

This would enable these startups to graduate to a level where they will be able to raise investments from angel investors or venture capitalists or seek loans from commercial banks or financial institutions.

The Need For Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

• Easy availability of capital is essential for entrepreneurs at the early stages of growth of an enterprise.
• Funding from angel investors and venture capital firms becomes available to startups only after the proof of concept has been provided. Similarly, banks provide loans only to asset-backed applicants.
• It is essential to provide seed funding to startups with an innovative idea to conduct proof of concept trials.

How Startup India Seed Fund Will Operate

• The Seed Fund will be disbursed to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade - Nodal Department
• Experts Advisory Committee - Government Representatives & Industry Experts
• Govt assisted/Not-Govt assisted Incubators - Operational for atleast 2-3 years
• DPIIT-recognised Startups - Incorporated less than 2 years ago

Features:

• Year-round ‘Call for Applications’ for Incubators and Startups
• Sector-agnostic
• No mandatory physical incubation
• PAN-India startup programme
• Startups can apply to 3 incubators simultaneously

Eligibility Criteria:

Startups:

• A startup, recognized by DPIIT, incorporated not more than 2 years ago at the time of application.
• The startup must have a business idea to develop a product or a service with a market fit, viable commercialization, and scope of scaling.
• The startup should be using technology in its core product or service, or business model, or distribution model, or methodology to solve the problem being targeted.
• Preference would be given to startups creating innovative solutions in sectors such as social impact, waste management, water management, financial inclusion, education, agriculture, food processing, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, mobility, defence, space, railways, oil and gas, textiles, etc.

Incubators:

• The incubator should be operational for at least two years on the date of application to the scheme
• The incubator must have facilities to seat at least 25 individuals
• The incubator must have at least 5 startups undergoing incubation physically on the date of application
• The incubator must have a full-time Chief Executive Officer, experienced in business development and entrepreneurship, supported by a capable team responsible for mentoring startups in testing and validating ideas, as well as in finance, legal, and human resources functions
• The incubator should not be disbursing seed fund to incubatees using funding from any third-party private entity
• The incubator must have been assisted by the Central/State Government(s)

How much seed funding can a startup receive under the scheme?

Seed Fund to an eligible startup by the incubator shall be disbursed as follows:

• Up to Rs. 20 Lakhs as grant for validation of Proof of Concept, or prototype development, or product trials. The grant shall be disbursed in milestone-based installments. These milestones can be related to development of prototype, product testing, building a product ready for market launch, etc.
• Up to Rs. 50 Lakhs of investment for market entry, commercialization, or scaling up through convertible debentures or debt or debt-linked instruments
• A startup applicant can avail seed support in the form of grant and debt/convertible debentures each once as per the guidelines of the scheme

For more information please check the Link