Startups in India can get government grants, subsidised GPUs through IndiaAI and free cloud and GPU credits, and each one needs its own application. DPIIT recognition is free and is the gate to the startup tax holiday and several of these schemes, but it pays nothing by itself. This page covers the 22 Indian schemes, credits and offers we track that have not ended, with the status of each on 12 and 13 October 2026.
Two dates matter most. The Startup India Seed Fund has been closed to new startup applications since 31 May 2026, and no successor had been announced when we checked on 12 and 13 October 2026. Karnataka’s ELEVATE 2026 calls take applications from 13 October 2026, 9:00 AM IST, to 13 November 2026, 5:00 PM IST.
Grants and credits are not cash in hand. Grants usually arrive in tranches (part payments released at milestones), and credits are a prepaid balance a provider draws down as you use its service; ask your CA (chartered accountant) how to record and tax both. Amounts are in rupees exactly as each scheme publishes them (1 lakh is 100,000; 1 crore is 10 million).
DPIIT recognition
Free
Needed for the tax holiday and several schemes
IndiaAI compute
Up to 40% off
Listed GPU rates, if IndiaAI approves; 1x L4 lists at Rs 44.86 an hour
Karnataka ELEVATE NxT
Rs 1 crore
Maximum deep-tech grant; apply by 13 November 2026, 5:00 PM IST
Open now or closing soon in India
Dated windows from official pages, checked 12 and 13 October 2026. Times are IST.
- Karnataka ELEVATE NxT: up to Rs 1 crore, equity-free, for deep-tech startups from anywhere in India, from 13 October 2026, 9:00 AM, to 13 November 2026, 5:00 PM.
- ELEVATE Minorities: up to Rs 50 lakh for minority-owned startups incorporated in Karnataka, in the same window.
- IndiaAI compute requests: the 1st to the 25th of every month, with approvals published on the 10th of the next month. A request filed by 25 October 2026 is due to be decided on 10 November 2026.
- Kerala Startup Mission grants: only during official calls; KSUM’s pages showed no call dates on 12 and 13 October 2026.
- MeitY GENESIS: third-party sites report a pilot-funding call closing on 29 October 2026, which we could not confirm on an official page. Check with the implementing agency before you plan around it.
- Krutrim Cloud Sandbox: a banner offers free credits “until Oct 22”, with no year and no terms page. It is low confidence, so we do not show the amount.
Closed in 2026: the Seed Fund (31 May 2026) and the 2026 cohort of Google for Startups Accelerator: India (19 April 2026; you can register interest for the next cohort). For individuals, the Jio Google AI Pro offer must be claimed by 29 October 2026; see Free AI plans for people in India.
Startup India benefits: what DPIIT recognition gives you
DPIIT (the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) runs Startup India. Recognition certifies that your entity is a startup under the government definition. It is free: apply on the National Single Window System (nsws.gov.in) under Add Approvals, then Central Approvals, then Registration as a Startup.
Who can apply
- A private limited company, registered partnership firm, LLP or cooperative society (including multi-state ones) registered in India. Sole proprietorships cannot apply.
- Up to 10 years from incorporation, with turnover never above Rs 200 crore in any financial year. A recognised deep-tech startup gets 20 years and Rs 300 crore. Gazette notification G.S.R. 108(E) of February 2026 widened the definition to these limits and added the deep-tech category.
- Working on innovation or a scalable model, and not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.
What recognition gives you
- The right to apply for a tax holiday of 3 consecutive years within your first 10. The recognition page limits it to private limited companies and LLPs incorporated after 1 April 2016.
- Relaxations under the Companies Act, labour laws and public procurement rules.
- A key to schemes and perks. Recognition is the gate for the direct route into Zoho for Startups, the startup route on the IndiaAI compute portal and GENESIS, and one of the two routes into the Atal New India Challenge (registration as an MSME, a micro, small or medium enterprise, is the other).
None of this is automatic. The April 2026 Startup Playbook says recognition does not by itself entitle you to benefits: each one has its own application and approval.
| Official source | Section it cites |
|---|---|
| Startup India recognition page (last updated 14 September 2026) | Section 80-IAC |
| Startup Playbook for DPIIT-recognised startups (April 2026) | Section 140 of the Income Tax Act 2025 |
Our Section 80-IAC to Section 140 mapping shows how the old and new section numbers line up. Whether you qualify, and for which years, is a question for your CA.
Scam check: DPIIT charges no fee for recognition and has appointed no agents. Paid “DPIIT registration” services are optional, and anyone who says you must pay for one is misleading you.
Where Indian founders should start
Six places to start, depending on what you are building. Each card opens the full entry.
First stepDPIIT Startup RecognitionFree recognition needed for the tax holiday and schemesApply free on NSWS. It is needed for the tax holiday and several schemes below, and DPIIT has appointed no agents.Subsidised GPUsIndiaAI Compute PortalUp to 40% off listed GPU rates (from ~Rs 45 an hour)If you meet the bar: DPIIT plus Rs 50 lakh revenue or Rs 1 crore funding. Requests open the 1st to the 25th of each month.Apply by 13 November 2026ELEVATE grant-in-aidGovernment of Karnataka (Dept. of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T; Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society)Equity-free grant up to Rs 50 lakh or Rs 1 croreNxT takes deep-tech startups from any state, but winners must move their registered office to Karnataka within 4 months.For Kerala startupsKSUM Early Stage Funding grantsKerala Startup Mission (Government of Kerala)Idea Grant up to Rs 3 lakhEquity-free grants rise to Rs 15 lakh (Scaleup); apply during official calls.Free GPU credits in IndiaE2E Networks Startup Program$5,000 free GPU credits for 12 months (AI Explorer)An Indian GPU cloud open to AI startups incorporated anywhere, with 10 or fewer staff and under 5 years old.Business apps with DPIITZoho for StartupsRs 1 lakh in Zoho app credits, plus Rs 86,000 at Stage 2In India: up to Rs 1.86 lakh in app credits, applied for directly with a DPIIT certificate.
Government startup grants in India (2026)
Central grants rarely come straight from a ministry. Most reach you through an incubator, accelerator or implementing agency with its own call, so “is it open?” usually means “is my nearest centre taking applications?” Amounts are published maximums, not what a typical startup receives.
| Scheme | Up to (as published) | Through | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atal New India Challenge (ANIC) | Rs 1 crore, in three milestone tranches | The AIM portal during a call; DPIIT-recognised startups or MSMEs with a working prototype | Active, but no open call listed (medium confidence) |
| NIDHI-PRAYAS 2.0 | Rs 20 lakh via a PRAYAS Centre; Rs 40 lakh via an Advance PRAYAS Centre | A PRAYAS Centre; individuals can apply before forming a company | Changed in March 2026; calls run centre by centre (medium) |
| NIDHI-EIR | Rs 10,000 to 30,000 a month for 12 months | A NIDHI-EIR incubator; Indian citizens only | Active; each incubator runs its own call (medium) |
| NIDHI Seed Support | Rs 1 crore in exceptional cases; typically Rs 10 to 25 lakh, as equity or a loan | A DST-supported incubator, after 3 months there | Active; no national call (medium) |
| MeitY GENESIS | Rs 10 lakh early-stage; Rs 1 crore for deep tech | A GENESIS implementing agency | Active; each agency runs its own call (medium) |
| TIDE 2.0 | Rs 7 lakh prototype grants; Rs 40 lakh investment | A TIDE 2.0 centre | Unclear: its approval ran to 31 January 2024, and GENESIS now integrates its centres (medium) |
| SAMRIDH | Not shown (low confidence); funding is matched one-to-one | A SAMRIDH accelerator cohort | Unclear: we could not confirm a current call (low) |
| BIRAC BIG | Rs 50 lakh over up to 18 months | The BIRAC portal during a BIG call; biotech companies and LLPs | Unclear: no call open or announced (medium) |
| Startup India Seed Fund | Rs 20 lakh grant, plus Rs 50 lakh as debt or convertible debentures | Approved incubators | Ended: closed to startup applications on 31 May 2026; no successor announced |
Read the fine print before you count the money
- Not every “grant” is a grant. NIDHI Seed Support is usually equity or a soft loan you repay, and ANIC’s documents include a term sheet and shareholding agreement without making clear whether AIM takes equity. Check before you sign.
- Money arrives in tranches. ANIC pays 30%, 40% and 30%; the second and third tranches come only after the goals are verified and at least 80% of the previous tranche is spent. BIRAC BIG’s last tranche is a reimbursement.
- You often co-fund. ANIC asks you to fund the rest of the project cost, and investment support under SAMRIDH and GENESIS needs matching money.
- Strings stay attached. PRAYAS caps total support at Rs 40 lakh including PRAYAS 1.0, NIDHI Seed Support prefers startups without other government funding, and ANIC keeps non-exclusive Government Purpose Rights on IP built with the grant.
Tip: NIDHI-PRAYAS and NIDHI-EIR are two of the few routes open to individuals before they form a company. PRAYAS wants a tangible, physical prototype, so a pure software idea may not qualify.
State startup grants: Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
We track three state schemes. Only Karnataka’s ELEVATE NxT accepts startups from other states, and even it asks winners to move there.
| Scheme | Up to | Equity | Who | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka ELEVATE NxT | Rs 1 crore | Equity-free | Deep-tech startups anywhere in India | 13 October to 13 November 2026 |
| Karnataka ELEVATE Minorities | Rs 50 lakh | Equity-free | Minority-owned startups incorporated in Karnataka | 13 October to 13 November 2026 |
| Kerala Startup Mission | Rs 3 lakh (Idea) to Rs 15 lakh (Scaleup) | Equity-free | Startups based in Kerala | Official calls only; no dates shown |
| Tamil Nadu TANSEED | Rs 15 lakh (green-tech, rural-impact, women-led); Rs 10 lakh (others) | StartupTN takes 3% | Startups located and registered in Tamil Nadu | Edition 8.0 closed 30 January 2026; no newer edition shown |
Karnataka ELEVATE 2026
NxT is for deep-tech products at TRL 3 to 8 (technology readiness level: how close a technology is to market), from companies up to 20 years old with turnover never above Rs 300 crore. The Minorities call is for Karnataka startups at least 51% held by Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh or Parsi directors or partners. Plan around three things:
- The move: NxT winners registered outside Karnataka must shift their registered office there within 4 months of the results, or the award is treated as rejected.
- The deduction: under the 2025 terms, Rs 25,000 plus GST was taken from each grant for compulsory incubation at a K-tech hub. Check the 2026 terms.
- The site: apply only at elevate.startupkarnataka.in. The old missionstartupkarnataka.org domain now redirects to an unrelated website.
Kerala Startup Mission grants
Do not add KSUM’s grants up. Idea and Productisation share one Rs 7 lakh cap, so an Idea Grant winner gets only the Rs 4 lakh balance next, and Productisation grantees must bring 20% of the approved amount as margin money. Startups led by women or transgender founders can get up to Rs 12 lakh at the Productisation stage.
Tamil Nadu TANSEED
TANSEED comes with a string attached: StartupTN takes a 3% stake, and results take about 4 to 6 months. Its FAQ says a new edition launches every quarter, but the page still showed edition 8.0 (last date 30 January 2026) on 12 and 13 October 2026, so we mark it unclear.
IndiaAI compute portal: subsidised GPUs and who can apply
The IndiaAI compute portal rents GPUs from 15 empanelled providers, including E2E Networks, Yotta, NxtGen, Sify, Tata Communications, CtrlS, Neysa and Cyfuture. It is subsidised, not free: listed rates are on-demand prices, and the official price calculator shows a maximum subsidy of up to 40%, subject to IndiaAI’s approval.
| GPU instance | On-demand rate per hour | You still pay, with the maximum 40% subsidy |
|---|---|---|
| 1x L4 | Rs 44.86 | About Rs 26.92 |
| 1x L40S | Rs 67.50 | About Rs 40.50 |
| 1x A100 80GB | Rs 135.90 | About Rs 81.54 |
| 1x H200 | Rs 140.00 | About Rs 84.00 |
| 8x A100 40GB | Rs 3,175.66 | About Rs 1,905.40 |
Who can apply
- Startups and MSMEs: DPIIT recognition, AI/ML experience, and annual revenue of Rs 50 lakh or funding of Rs 1 crore, a bar that rules out most first-year startups.
- Early-stage startups: 4 years of AI/ML experience (research counts) plus a letter from the IndiaAI CEO or a Joint Secretary-rank officer.
- Researchers, students and government entities have their own routes.
How the monthly cycle works
- Log in at compute.indiaai.gov.in (DigiLocker, e-Pramaan, Jan Parichay or email) and register with your documents.
- Between the 1st and the 25th, submit a compute request with a project proposal, and say whether you want the subsidy.
- Requests under 5,000 GPU-hours are approved automatically; larger ones go to IndiaAI’s review committee (PMEC). Approvals are published on the 10th of the next month.
- Start within 30 calendar days of approval, or the approval lapses.
Tip: plan about six weeks ahead. A request filed on 1 November 2026 is announced on 10 December 2026, and you then have 30 days to start.
Indian GPU clouds with free startup credits: E2E Networks, Yotta, Sarvam and Krutrim
E2E Networks and Yotta both run startup credit programs and are both IndiaAI providers. E2E accepts startups incorporated in any country, and Yotta states no country limit. Their headline figures mix free credits with discounts, so look at what a typical applicant gets before the headline.
| Provider | Free credits most applicants can get | The headline figure | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| E2E Networks | AI Explorer: $5,000 (Rs 5 lakh) for 12 months, for AI startups with 10 or fewer staff, founded within 5 years | Up to $100,000, but AI Builder and AI Scaler are usage discounts, not credits, and need $2 million or $5 million raised | Credits expire 12 months after activation, then pay-as-you-go applies |
| Yotta Rudra | Launch stage: $10,000 over 6 months, paid in tranches; the first is $1,000 | Up to $100,000 at the Thrive stage, plus 25% off usage beyond your credits | KYC (identity and company checks) and signed agreements; unused credits lapse when a stage ends; the Ignite tranches listed add up to $20,000, not the stated $25,000 |
| Sarvam | Rs 100 at API sign-up, which does not expire | Program credits for 6 to 12 months, sized case by case (medium confidence) | You must show “Powered by Sarvam” in your product |
| Krutrim Cloud | A banner offers free Sandbox credits “until Oct 22”, with no year; we do not show the amount (low confidence) | None published | No terms page, so we could not verify any condition (low confidence) |
E2E and Yotta run in Indian data centres, which suits teams that want GPUs in India but may add latency for users far from Asia. None of the pages we checked says whether startup credits combine with the IndiaAI subsidy, so ask before you budget for both.
For GPU and AI API credits from global providers, see free AI APIs and GPU credits.
Indian startup perks: Zoho, Razorpay Rize and MeitY Startup Hub
Zoho for Startups
Zoho for Startups gives Zoho Wallet credits for 55+ Zoho apps, valid for 360 days. In India the total is up to Rs 1.86 lakh: Rs 1 lakh at Stage 1, plus Rs 86,000 at Stage 2 if you host and map your business email domain with Zoho within 15 days of Stage 1. With a DPIIT certificate you apply directly under the self-funded or bootstrapped category; without one you need a Zoho-collaborating incubator or accelerator. Udyam (MSME) registration alone does not qualify, and anyone who has ever paid for a Zoho subscription is not eligible. Unused credits expire after 360 days with no extension.
MeitY Startup Hub perks
MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) lists 12 months of free access to 100+ MathWorks products, including MATLAB and Simulink, for MeitY-associated startups, and a free one-year TallyPrime rental licence for MSH-registered startups (medium confidence: the pages give no dates). Weighing that licence against Zoho? See Zoho Books vs TallyPrime. MSH lists no AWS, Google or Microsoft cloud credits.
Razorpay Rize
Razorpay Rize runs three free founder communities (Tech+, D2C+ and Xport+); you can join only one, and Razorpay selects members. Its “$500,000 worth of tool credits” is Razorpay’s combined headline for many partner deals, such as AWS, Canva and Notion, each with its own terms. It is not cash or a single offer, and no founder gets all of it (medium confidence).
Every Indian scheme, credit and offer we track
22 Indian schemes, credits and offers, each with who qualifies, how to apply and the date we checked it. Amounts are in rupees or in the provider’s own currency, so the list is sorted A to Z rather than by value. The ended Startup India Seed Fund is in a separate list at the end, hidden by default; press Show ended and paused in the filters to see it.
Category
Show only
Status
No programs match these filters.
Skip past this listAtal New India Challenge (ANIC) grants and Atal Incubation Centres
Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog (Government of India)ActiveNo open call (checked 12 October 2026)
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startups
Milestone grant up to INR 1 crore
A grant of up to INR 1 crore, paid in three milestone tranches (30/40/30%) over 12-24 months, for DPIIT-recognised startups and MSMEs with a working prototype in a national challenge area. AIM also funds 72 Atal Incubation Centres.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Atal New India Challenge (ANIC) grants and Atal Incubation Centres
- Who qualifies
- Indian company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956/2013
- MSME under the MSMED Act 2006 or DPIIT-recognised startup
- More than 51% of the company held in India
- Working prototype that fits a published ANIC challenge area
- Apply only through the AIM portal during a call window
- How long
- Project of 12-24 months under the May 2026 guidelines; each tranche lasts 4-8 months
- Referral or funding needed
- No investor needed, but you must commit to funding the rest of the project cost yourself
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. India-only grant from NITI Aayog. Payments go through PFMS, so the startup must register there as a vendor.
- How to apply
- Watch aim.gov.in for a new ANIC call. Apply on the AIM portal with your project cost, detailed budget, goals and deliverables, and a commitment to fund the balance.
- Watch out for
- Each tranche is released only after its goals are verified and at least 80% of the previous tranche is spent.
- The first tranche needs 27 signed and stamped documents (22 for later tranches), including a bond and an MoA.
- Capital expenditure from AIM funds is capped at 30% of the total requested.
- The Government keeps Government Purpose Rights (non-exclusive, non-transferable) on IP built with the grant.
- Document 25 is a ‘Term Sheet / Share Subscription and Shareholding Agreement’ (Annexure H). The guidelines do not make clear whether AIM takes equity, so check before signing.
- Unspent funds must be refunded, and overspending on a budget line needs approval.
- Status note
- AIM published revised ANIC guidelines dated May 2026. The ANIC web pages still show ‘Last Updated 03-01-2024’, list no open call dates, and describe support over 12-18 months (the May 2026 guidelines say 12-24). The AIM homepage says the ATL, AIC and ACIC application portals were not open on 12 October 2026. ANIC page counters: 24 challenge areas, 700+ registrations, 30 startups selected, 29 given grants. Startups join Atal Incubation Centres by applying to an individual AIC; no AIM-level startup grant amount was confirmed for AICs.
Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)
BIRAC (Department of Biotechnology)Not fully confirmedNo open call (checked 12 October 2026)
Bootstrapped startupsAccelerator startups
Grant up to Rs 50 lakh to reach biotech proof of concept
Grant-in-aid of up to Rs 50 lakh over up to 18 months to take a biotech idea to proof of concept. Paid in 3 to 4 milestone tranches (Rs 20 lakh at signing, then up to Rs 20 lakh instalments, up to Rs 5 lakh at the end).
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)
- Who qualifies
- Company under the Companies Act or an LLP (November 2025 guidelines)
- Incorporated no earlier than 5 years before the call launch
- At least 51% owned by resident Indian citizens; OCI/PIO holders are not eligible
- Own functional R&D facility, or incubated at an incubator
- A named Project Leader; not a BIRAC loan defaulter
- How long
- Up to 18 months
- Referral or funding needed
- No
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. India-only biotech grant, managed through 8 BIG Partner institutions.
- How to apply
- Apply online on the BIRAC portal during an open BIG call. BIG Partners screen eligibility, then 3 to 5 reviewers assess the proposal before interviews.
- Watch out for
- No call open as of October 2026, and the next date is not announced.
- Under the November 2025 guidelines you need a registered company or LLP; an idea without an entity cannot apply.
- The final tranche is a reimbursement, paid only after the final utilisation certificate, expense statement and completion report are accepted.
- A promoter holding 20% or more who co-promotes another ineligible biotech company or LLP can make you ineligible.
- Status note
- The BIG page (updated 1 October 2026) says calls open on 1 January and 1 July, but recent calls have been irregular: the 24th ran April to June 2024 and the 25th ran 1 to 30 November 2025. No BIG call is open or announced on the Call for Proposals page as of 12 October 2026. New guidelines were issued in November 2025.
Official page for Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
DPIIT Startup Recognition
DPIIT, Government of India (Startup India)Changed February 2026Indian entity under 10 years; free
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startupsAccelerator startups
Free recognition needed for the tax holiday and schemes
Free government recognition that lets an Indian entity apply for startup benefits: a 3-year income-tax holiday, Companies Act and labour-law relaxations, procurement relaxations, and access to schemes. No cash or credits by itself.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for DPIIT Startup Recognition
- Who qualifies
- Private limited company, registered partnership firm, LLP, or cooperative society (including multi-state) registered in India
- Not more than 10 years since incorporation (20 years for a recognised deep-tech startup)
- Turnover not above Rs 200 crore in any financial year since incorporation (Rs 300 crore for deep tech)
- Working on innovation or a scalable model with job or wealth creation potential
- Not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business
- How long
- Up to 10 years from incorporation (20 years for a recognised deep-tech startup), while turnover stays under the limit
- Referral or funding needed
- No
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India-incorporated entities only
- India
- Yes. India-only. Sole proprietorships cannot apply. Zoho for Startups, the IndiaAI compute portal (startup route) and the Seed Fund all use DPIIT recognition as a gate.
- How to apply
- Apply free on the National Single Window System (nsws.gov.in): create an account, go to Add Approvals > Central Approvals > Registration as a Startup, then fill in the form and upload documents.
- Watch out for
- Recognition by itself gives nothing. Each benefit (tax holiday, schemes) needs its own application and approval; the playbook says recognition does not automatically entitle you to benefits.
- The tax holiday covers 3 consecutive years within the first 10. Per the recognition page, it applies only to private limited companies and LLPs incorporated after 1 April 2016.
- DPIIT charges no fee and has appointed no agents. Paid ‘DPIIT registration’ services are optional.
- The Startup India partner page lists 23 pro bono partners (e.g., Amazon, DigitalOcean, Zoho, Freshworks) with a 2 April 2020 launch date, but shows no current offer terms or amounts.
- Status note
- Gazette notification G.S.R. 108(E) (February 2026) widened the definition to 10 years and Rs 200 crore turnover and added a deep-tech category (20 years, Rs 300 crore). The April 2026 Startup Playbook places the tax holiday under Section 140 of the Income Tax Act 2025, while the recognition page (last updated 14 September 2026) still cites Section 80-IAC.
Official page for DPIIT Startup Recognition (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
E2E Networks Startup Program (AI Explorer, AI Builder, AI Scaler)
E2E NetworksActiveAI startups <5 yrs old, max 10 staff
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startupsAccelerator startups
$5,000 free GPU credits for 12 months (AI Explorer)Best case: Up to $100K usage discounts with $5M+ raised
Indian GPU cloud. AI Explorer: $5K (Rs 5 lakh) free credits for small early-stage AI startups. AI Builder: up to $50K usage discounts ($2M+ raised). AI Scaler: up to $100K usage discounts ($5M+ raised).
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for E2E Networks Startup Program (AI Explorer, AI Builder, AI Scaler)
- Who qualifies
- Legally incorporated company in any country
- AI/ML startup with GPU compute needs
- AI Explorer: 10 or fewer employees, founded within the last 5 years
- AI Builder: founded within 5 years; AI Scaler: founded within 7 years
- Excludes established enterprises or corporate subsidiaries, consultancies or agencies, crypto mining and credit resale
- How long
- 12 months from activation; extensions possible on request
- Referral or funding needed
- No for AI Explorer (VC or accelerator backing preferred, not required). AI Builder needs $2M+ raised and AI Scaler $5M+
- Card needed
- Not stated
- Work or school email
- Not stated
- Countries
- No country limit (startups incorporated anywhere); capacity is in India
- India
- Yes. Indian provider and an empanelled IndiaAI compute provider. Tiers are also shown in INR.
- How to apply
- Fill in the 4-step form on e2enetworks.com/startup-program (your details incl. LinkedIn, company info, GPU needs, submit).
- Watch out for
- Only AI Explorer gives free credits. The Builder and Scaler benefits are usage-based discounts.
- The headline ‘$100K in credits’ is a discount ceiling, not free money.
- Credits expire 12 months after activation, then pay-as-you-go applies.
- Low-latency serving outside Asia may not suit you, because the capacity is in India.
- Status note
- Live page as of 12 October 2026. Applications are reviewed in 3 to 5 business days. E2E’s older MeitY-startup credit page returns 404.
ELEVATE grant-in-aid (2026 calls: ELEVATE NxT and ELEVATE Minorities)
Government of Karnataka (Dept. of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T; Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society)Limited time, apply by 13 November 2026Competitive; apply by 13 November 2026
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startups
Equity-free grant up to Rs 50 lakh or Rs 1 croreBest case: Up to Rs 1 crore on the NxT deep-tech call
One-time, equity-free grant. 2026 calls: ELEVATE NxT (deep tech, open to startups across India) up to Rs 1 crore; ELEVATE Minorities up to Rs 50 lakh for minority-owned Karnataka startups. Apply 13 October to 13 November 2026.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for ELEVATE grant-in-aid (2026 calls: ELEVATE NxT and ELEVATE Minorities)
- Who qualifies
- ELEVATE NxT: Pvt Ltd, registered partnership, LLP or cooperative society based anywhere in India; turnover never above Rs 300 crore; within 20 years of incorporation; team of at least 2; deep-tech product at TRL 3 to 8
- NxT winners registered outside Karnataka must move their registered office to Karnataka within 4 months of the results, or the award is treated as rejected
- ELEVATE Minorities 2026: incorporated in Karnataka (Pvt Ltd, OPC, LLP, partnership or cooperative); turnover under Rs 200 crore; within 10 years of incorporation; Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh or Parsi directors or partners hold at least 51% equity and have a Karnataka digital minority certificate
- Not eligible if you received an ELEVATE grant in the last 3 years, or if you are a subsidiary, spin-off or internal division of another company
- The general Karnataka call (turnover up to Rs 100 crore, up to 10 years old) last ran as ELEVATE 2025, with General, Unnati (SC/ST, 70% equity) and Minorities tracks
- How long
- One-time grant, paid in milestone-based tranches
- Referral or funding needed
- No
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India. NxT: startups anywhere in India, but winners must move their registered office to Karnataka. Minorities: Karnataka-incorporated startups only.
- India
- Yes. ELEVATE NxT 2026 is open to deep-tech startups across India, but winners must shift their registered office to Karnataka within 4 months. ELEVATE Minorities is only for startups incorporated in Karnataka.
- How to apply
- Register and log in on elevate.startupkarnataka.in, choose ELEVATE NxT or ELEVATE Minorities, and upload the incorporation certificate, MoA or deed, a CA-certified revenue certificate for FY 2025-26, CA-attested shareholding, pitch deck(s) and a notarised affidavit on Rs 100 e-stamp paper.
- Watch out for
- The application window is one month: 13 October to 13 November 2026
- NxT Pitch Deck 1 must be anonymous and no longer than 2 slides. Breaking the template means disqualification
- Under the ELEVATE 2025 terms, winners had to join incubation at a K-tech hub, and Rs 25,000 plus GST was taken from the grant for it
- No changes are allowed after submission, and only one application per entity is accepted
- Minority-call founders holding the 51% stake must attend the in-person pitch
- The old domain missionstartupkarnataka.org now redirects to an unrelated website. Do not link to it
- Status note
- The official ELEVATE 2026 site, linked from the Karnataka EITBT startup portal, lists two active calls with applications open from 13 October 2026 9:00 AM IST to 13 November 2026 5:00 PM IST. An earlier ELEVATE NxT 2026 round has already announced winners. The last general call (ELEVATE 2025) closed on 17 September 2025. The researcher’s news-based claim of a May 2026 ’25th call’ with Aspire and Shakti tracks was not found on any official page.
GENESIS (Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups)
MeitY Startup Hub (Ministry of Electronics and IT)ActiveSelected by a GENESIS incubator
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startupsStudents
Early-stage funding up to Rs 10 lakhBest case: Up to Rs 1 crore for deep tech
MeitY scheme for tech startups, mainly in Tier II/III cities, run through about 50 implementing agencies. Early-stage funding up to Rs 10 lakh, pilot funding averaging Rs 40 lakh (max Rs 50 lakh) and deep-tech funding up to Rs 1 crore.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for GENESIS (Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups)
- Who qualifies
- DPIIT-registered startup
- Registered with MeitY Startup Hub, or a beneficiary of a MeitY scheme
- Indian promoters hold at least 51% of shares when applying
- Full-time CEO; some categories need a market-ready product
- Apply through a GENESIS implementing agency (incubator), with priority for Tier II/III cities
- How long
- 5-year scheme with a Rs 490 crore budget; support per startup is one-time by component
- Referral or funding needed
- No for the EiR, pilot, early-stage and deep-tech components. The investment component needs 1:1 private matching funds (average Rs 40 lakh, up to Rs 50 lakh)
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. Indian DPIIT-recognised startups with at least 51% Indian promoter shareholding. It focuses on Tier II/III cities, and an EiR component supports students and founders at the idea stage.
- How to apply
- Register on MeitY Startup Hub (msh.meity.gov.in) and apply to a GENESIS implementing agency when it opens a call. Each agency runs its own call.
- Watch out for
- There is no single national application window. Each implementing agency runs its own call and selection
- Investment support needs matching private funding
- Check any call advertised on a third-party site against the implementing agency’s or MSH’s own page
- Status note
- MeitY Startup Hub still lists GENESIS with its implementing agencies (page updated 12 October 2026). The MSH page says it aims to support about 1,600 startups over 5 years, while the brochure says it will impact 10,000+. The brochure also says GENESIS absorbs MeitY’s other startup assets, including the 51 TIDE centres. The start date could not be confirmed because the approval PDF is a scan. Third-party reports of a 2026 pilot-funding call closing on 29 October 2026 were not confirmed on an official page.
Official page for GENESIS (Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
Google AI Plus student plan (India), one year free
GoogleLimited time, redeem by 31 December 2026Indian university students 18+, card
Students
1 year of Google AI Plus free (redeem by 31 December 2026)
One year of Google AI Plus free for university students in India aged 18+: 2x higher usage limits, 400 GB storage, Gemini Omni, and unlimited uploads for study notebooks, visuals and Live. Redeem by 31 December 2026.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Google AI Plus student plan (India), one year free
- Who qualifies
- University student aged 18+
- New users, and students whose 2025 Google AI Pro trial has ended
- Valid payment method at sign-up
- How long
- 12 months; student status re-verified each year
- Referral or funding needed
- n/a
- Card needed
- Yes
- Work or school email
- No
- Countries
- India (India student page)
- India
- Yes. The India page offers AI Plus, not AI Pro. It bills Rs 399 a month after the free year.
- How to apply
- Go to gemini.google/in/students, choose ‘Claim a student plan at no cost’, and verify your student status.
- Watch out for
- Auto-charges Rs 399 a month after the free year unless you cancel first.
- A payment method is required at sign-up.
- It is Google AI Plus, a lower tier than AI Pro.
- You must re-verify student status each year.
- Status note
- Redeem until 31 December 2026. This follows the 2025 free Google AI Pro offer for students; students whose 2025 trial has ended can claim it.
Official page for Google AI Plus student plan (India), one year free (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
Google for Startups Accelerator: India (AI-first)
GoogleActiveSelective cohort; 2026 intake closed
Funded startups
3-month equity-free accelerator: mentors, TPUs, credits
Three-month, equity-free hybrid accelerator for AI-first Indian startups: Google mentors, early access to Google AI products, Google product credits, free Cloud TPU access for eligible startups, and Cloud credits (applied for separately; no amounts stated).
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Google for Startups Accelerator: India (AI-first)
- Who qualifies
- Based or headquartered in India
- Seed to Series A, past the idea stage, with customer validation
- Building core AI products (agentic, multimodal, reasoning, generative AI) or foundation models
- CEO and CTO must attend all program sessions
- How long
- 3 months (2026 cohort ran June to September 2026)
- Referral or funding needed
- Yes: Seed to Series A funded, ideally with traction
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. India-specific cohort of Google’s global accelerator.
- How to apply
- Register interest on the program page and apply when the next India cohort opens.
- Watch out for
- Not open now. Watch for the next call.
- Credit amounts are not stated, and Cloud credits need a separate eligibility review.
- Not for idea-stage or unfunded startups.
- Requires a significant founder time commitment.
- Status note
- Recurring program, but applications for the 2026 cohort closed on 19 April 2026; the cohort ran from June to September 2026. No next-cohort dates are listed; you can only register interest.
Official page for Google for Startups Accelerator: India (AI-first) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
IndiaAI Compute Portal (subsidised GPU access)
IndiaAI Mission (MeitY)ActiveDPIIT startups with revenue or funding
Funded startupsResearchersStudents
Up to 40% off listed GPU rates (from ~Rs 45 an hour)
Subsidised GPUs from 15 empanelled Indian clouds. On-demand rates (13 March 2026) start near Rs 45 an hour (1x L4), Rs 67.5 an hour (1x L40S), Rs 135.9 an hour (1x A100 80GB) and Rs 140 an hour (1x H200). IndiaAI subsidises approved projects; the official price calculator shows a maximum subsidy of up to 40%, subject to approval.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for IndiaAI Compute Portal (subsidised GPU access)
- Who qualifies
- Startups/MSMEs: DPIIT recognition, AI/ML experience, and annual revenue of Rs 50 lakh or funding of Rs 1 crore
- Early-stage startups: 4 years of AI/ML experience (research counts) plus an IndiaAI CEO or JS-rank letter
- Researchers: h-index of 5+, ML/AI papers in journals with impact factor above 2.5, or 150+ citations
- Also students, early-stage researchers, IndiaAI Fellowship awardees and government entities
- Login through DigiLocker, e-Pramaan or Jan Parichay, or email sign-in
- How long
- Per approved compute request. Services must start within 30 days of approval
- Referral or funding needed
- Startups/MSMEs need DPIIT recognition plus revenue of Rs 50 lakh or funding of Rs 1 crore. The ‘early-stage startup’ route needs 4 years of AI/ML experience and a letter from the IndiaAI CEO or a JS-rank officer
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India (Indian entities and users)
- India
- Yes. India-only. Providers include E2E Networks, Yotta, NxtGen, Sify, Tata Communications, CtrlS, Neysa, Cyfuture and others.
- How to apply
- Log in at compute.indiaai.gov.in, complete user registration with documents, then submit a compute request with a project proposal, choosing whether to ask for subsidy.
- Watch out for
- Not free: listed rates are on-demand prices. The subsidy is at most 40% (per the official calculator, subject to IndiaAI approval), so you pay the provider at least 60% of the listed cost.
- Requests under 5,000 GPU-hours are auto-approved; larger ones go to the PMEC committee.
- Approval lapses if you do not start the service within 30 calendar days.
- Rates are per instance; multi-GPU instances cost much more (e.g., 8x A100 40GB at Rs 3,175.66 an hour).
- The bar for startups is high: Rs 50 lakh revenue or Rs 1 crore funding.
- Status note
- Portal last updated 8 October 2026 (build 3.1.1). Requests are accepted from the 1st to the 25th of each month, and approved users are published on the 10th of the next month. The official price calculator shows a maximum subsidy of up to 40% of the cost, subject to IndiaAI approval (checked 13 October 2026).
Official page for IndiaAI Compute Portal (subsidised GPU access) (opens in a new tab)Checked 13 October 2026
Krutrim Cloud Sandbox free credits
Ola KrutrimLimited time, banner says until 22 OctoberSign-up promo; no application
Solo developersBootstrapped startups
Banner: free Sandbox credits (amount and terms unconfirmed)
Free credits for Krutrim Cloud Sandbox, short-lived compute environments where AI agents can run code, advertised “until Oct 22”. The amount and terms are not confirmed, so we do not show a figure.
Low confidence: we could not confirm the key details on an official page. Check the official page before you rely on this entry.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Krutrim Cloud Sandbox free credits
- Who qualifies
- Krutrim Cloud account
- No other conditions are shown
- How long
- Not stated
- Referral or funding needed
- No
- Card needed
- No
- Work or school email
- Not stated
- Countries
- Not stated
- India
- Yes. Indian provider with INR pricing.
- How to apply
- Sign up at Krutrim Cloud and open the Sandbox section of the console (cloud.olakrutrim.com/console/sandbox).
- Watch out for
- Short window: the banner says it ends 22 October (presumably 2026).
- No published terms on credit expiry, eligible services or one-per-user limits.
- ‘No credit card required’ comes from the general sign-up banner, not a promo-specific term.
- Status note
- A banner on olakrutrim.com and cloud.olakrutrim.com, seen 12 October 2026, advertises free Sandbox credits “until Oct 22”, with no year and no promo terms page. The same homepage says no credit card is required to start.
Official page for Krutrim Cloud Sandbox free credits (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
KSUM Early Stage Funding grants (Idea, Productisation, Market Acceleration, Scaleup)
Kerala Startup Mission (Government of Kerala)ActiveKerala startups; apply in official calls
Bootstrapped startupsStudents
Idea Grant up to Rs 3 lakhBest case: Up to Rs 15 lakh (Scaleup grant)
Equity-free grants for Kerala startups: Idea Grant up to Rs 3 lakh, Productisation up to Rs 7 lakh (Rs 12 lakh if women or transgender-led), Market Acceleration up to Rs 10 lakh and Scaleup up to Rs 15 lakh.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for KSUM Early Stage Funding grants (Idea, Productisation, Market Acceleration, Scaleup)
- Who qualifies
- Innovators and startups based in Kerala
- Innovative technology-based products only
- Idea Grant: ideation, design or proof-of-concept stage. Incorporation (Pvt Ltd, LLP or OPC) and a KSUM Unique ID are needed only before money is paid out
- Productisation Grant: MVP stage, Pvt Ltd or LLP with active MCA status, and a KSUM Unique ID when you apply. The Rs 12 lakh women’s grant applies when women hold the majority share
- If you already received the Idea Grant, Productisation pays only the balance (Rs 4 lakh of the Rs 7 lakh)
- How long
- One-time per scheme; paid in milestone tranches (usually 50% first, the balance after a progress report and utilisation certificate)
- Referral or funding needed
- No
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India; Kerala-based startups only
- India
- Yes. Only for startups based in Kerala. The same KSUM page also lists a BCDD grant of up to Rs 10 lakh for OBC/OEC-led startups, soft loans, and central schemes (Startup India Seed Fund, NIDHI).
- How to apply
- Apply on the KSUM grants portal during an official call. KSUM screens applications, shortlisted startups pitch to an expert committee, and you sign an agreement at a KSUM office before funds are released.
- Watch out for
- Paperwork is heavy: a CA-certified no-dues and margin money certificate with UDIN, two years of balance sheets, incorporation papers, PAN, bank details and stamp paper
- Productisation grantees must bring margin money of 20% of the approved amount, due at the second tranche
- The second tranche needs a progress report and a utilisation certificate
- Rejected applicants can reapply only after 3 months
- The Idea and Productisation grants share one Rs 7 lakh cap
- Status note
- KSUM’s scheme pages list these grants with ‘Apply Now’ links to its grants portal, but applications are taken only during official calls, and the pages give no call dates. Patent reimbursement (India up to Rs 2 lakh, US up to Rs 10 lakh) and the Technology Transfer scheme are marked ‘Coming Soon’.
MSH corporate partner offers (MathWorks, Tally, Razorpay)
MeitY Startup Hub (MSH)ActiveMeitY Startup Hub startups only
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startupsAccelerator startups
12 months of MATLAB/Simulink + 1 year of TallyPrime
MeitY-associated startups get 12 months of free access to 100+ MathWorks products (incl. MATLAB and Simulink). MSH-registered startups get a free one-year TallyPrime rental licence. MSH startups also get Razorpay credits (amount not stated).
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for MSH corporate partner offers (MathWorks, Tally, Razorpay)
- Who qualifies
- MathWorks: all MeitY-associated startups
- Tally: startups registered on MSH
- Razorpay: startups affiliated with MSH programs; Rize community access only for selected startups
- How long
- MathWorks 12 months; TallyPrime 1 year; Razorpay not stated
- Referral or funding needed
- No, but you must be registered with or associated with MSH/MeitY programs
- Card needed
- Not stated
- Work or school email
- Not stated
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. For Indian startups in the MeitY/MSH network.
- How to apply
- Register on msh.meity.gov.in, then use each partner’s page under Programs > MSH Corporate (MathWorks accelerator form, Tally page, Razorpay Typeform).
- Watch out for
- The Razorpay credit amount is not published.
- MathWorks free access ends after 12 months. MSH does not say what happens next; MathWorks sells separate low-cost startup licences (founded within 5 years, fewer than 15 engineers, under $1M revenue).
- MSH mentions discounted MathWorks training fees, not discounted licences.
- E2E Networks’ old MeitY-startup credit page now returns 404, so do not expect that offer.
- Status note
- Listed on the live MSH site (Programs > MSH Corporate) as of 12 October 2026, with no start or end dates. The Razorpay credit amount is not stated. MSH lists no AWS, Google or Microsoft cloud credits.
NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (NIDHI-EIR)
Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of IndiaActiveSelected by a NIDHI-EIR incubator
StudentsBootstrapped startups
INR 10,000-30,000 a month for 12 monthsBest case: Up to 18 months with an approved extension
A monthly fellowship of INR 10,000 to 30,000 for 12 months (extendable to 18 under the guidelines) for Indian graduates working full time on a tech startup idea at a NIDHI-EIR incubator.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (NIDHI-EIR)
- Who qualifies
- Indian citizen
- At least 4 years of full-time degree education in science or engineering, or a 3-year degree/diploma plus 2 years of full-time work
- Full time on the idea, with no other salary or fellowship at the same time
- Not a promoter or over-10% shareholder of another company
- How long
- 12 months; the guidelines allow extension up to 18 months for deserving candidates with approval
- Referral or funding needed
- No investor needed. You must be selected by, and registered in pre-incubation or incubation at, a participating NIDHI-EIR incubator for the whole support period.
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only (Indian citizens)
- India
- Yes. Indian citizens only. Apply through one of the 37 incubators listed under ‘Current Calls’ on nidhi-eir.in, such as SINE IIT Bombay, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and AIC ISB. Only 26 of the 37 show an ‘Apply here’ link.
- How to apply
- Choose a participating incubator from the ‘Current Calls’ list on nidhi-eir.in and apply through its call. The incubator decides selection and the monthly amount.
- Watch out for
- The monthly amount ranges from INR 10,000 to 30,000, so not everyone gets the maximum.
- You cannot take a job, another fellowship, or hold over 10% of another company while receiving it.
- It is not meant as a stop-gap between jobs or studies. Ideas with little tech innovation or under 6 months to market are discouraged.
- There is no single national deadline, and 11 of the 37 listed incubators show no application link.
- Status note
- DST describes this as a current scheme (page last updated 24 April 2024). The DST page states a 12-month maximum; the 18-month extension comes from the guidelines PDF. nidhi-eir.in lists 37 incubators under ‘Current Calls’ with no dates, and no national deadline was found. Each incubator runs its own calls. Any total such as INR 3.6 lakh for 12 months is our calculation, not a DST figure.
Official page for NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (NIDHI-EIR) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
NIDHI-PRAYAS 2.0
Department of Science and Technology (NIDHI)Changed March 2026Selected via a PRAYAS Centre
StudentsResearchersBootstrapped startups
Prototype grant up to Rs 20 lakhBest case: Up to Rs 40 lakh for deep tech (Advance centre)
Prototype grant of up to Rs 20 lakh through a PRAYAS Centre, or up to Rs 40 lakh through an Advance PRAYAS Centre for deep-tech prototypes, given via selected incubators. Individual innovators can apply before forming a company.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for NIDHI-PRAYAS 2.0
- Who qualifies
- Individual innovator without a registered startup, or an early-stage startup
- Aged 18+ with proof of Indian citizenship
- Startups: incorporated in India within 5 years, at least 51% held by Indian citizens, turnover not above Rs 1 crore in any year
- Tangible, physical science or technology prototype that has not passed MVP stage
- Employees and full-time students need an NOC from their employer or institution
- One-time support; total cap of Rs 40 lakh including PRAYAS 1.0
- How long
- 15 months from the first tranche; extendable by up to 6 months
- Referral or funding needed
- No; you apply through a PRAYAS Centre or Advance PRAYAS Centre
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only (Indian citizens)
- India
- Yes. One of the few Indian government grants open to individual innovators before company formation. Grantees are encouraged to register as a DPIIT startup within 6 to 8 months.
- How to apply
- Find a PRAYAS Centre on nidhi-prayas.org and apply to its open call. Pick an Advance PRAYAS Centre only for deep-tech or advanced prototypes.
- Watch out for
- Pure software or app ideas may not qualify: the prototype must be a tangible, physical product.
- Calls and timelines depend on each centre, and 2.0 centres were still being selected in mid-2026.
- If you have received more than Rs 40 lakh in government grants in total, you are not eligible.
- A sustenance allowance of up to 20% of the grant is possible only if you work on it full-time with no other income.
- DST’s older NIDHI-PRAYAS page still shows the Rs 10 lakh limit.
- Status note
- DST issued NIDHI PRAYAS 2.0 guidelines in March 2026, raising the old Rs 10 lakh cap to Rs 20 lakh (PC) and Rs 40 lakh (APC). The PMU invited incubators to apply as PRAYAS Centres from 19 May to 30 June 2026. No innovator call is listed on the PMU homepage as of 12 October 2026; calls run centre by centre.
Official page for NIDHI-PRAYAS 2.0 (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI-SSP)
Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of IndiaActiveNeeds a DST incubator’s recommendation
Bootstrapped startupsAccelerator startups
Seed funding, typically INR 10-25 lakh (equity or loan)Best case: Up to INR 1 crore in exceptional cases
Seed funding for incubated Indian tech startups through DST-supported incubators. Typically INR 10-25 lakh, capped at INR 100 lakh (1 crore) in exceptional cases. Given as equity, equity-linked instrument or soft loan.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI-SSP)
- Who qualifies
- Company registered in India, preferably DPIIT-recognised
- At least 3 months in the incubator’s resident or virtual program
- Indian promoters hold at least 51%. Not for Indian subsidiaries of MNCs or foreign companies.
- Clear USP backed by customer validation
- How long
- One-time support per startup. A loan can have a moratorium of up to 12 months, with repayment usually over the incubation period, extendable to 3-5 years.
- Referral or funding needed
- No investor needed, but you must have spent at least 3 months in a DST-supported incubator’s resident or virtual program, and its Seed Support Management Committee must recommend you.
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. Only Indian-registered companies with at least 51% Indian promoter shareholding qualify. OCI and PIO holders count as Indian citizens for this scheme.
- How to apply
- Join a DST-supported NIDHI-SSP incubator (list linked from the DST page), complete 3 months there, and apply when it opens a seed-support call. The incubator’s Seed Support Management Committee decides the amount.
- Watch out for
- This is not free money. The incubator invests through equity (preferred) or an equity-linked instrument, or gives a soft loan at or below the repo rate that you repay.
- You can get it only once. A second round at any incubator needs DST approval.
- INR 1 crore is for exceptional cases only. Incubators have typically invested INR 10-25 lakh.
- Startups that have not had other central or state government funding get preference.
- Status note
- DST’s NIDHI-SSP page was last updated 9 September 2025 and lists no open call. Incubators apply to DST once a year through an online portal; startups apply through incubators whenever those incubators open calls. Startup terms come from the May 2021 guidelines PDF linked from the DST page.
Official page for NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI-SSP) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
Razorpay Rize communities (Tech+, D2C+, Xport+)
RazorpayActiveFree but selective; one community only
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startups
Partner tool deals (AWS, Canva, Notion) + mentoringBest case: Razorpay values partner deals at $500,000
Free founder communities advertising ‘$500,000 worth of tool credits’ across partners such as AWS, Canva and Notion, plus Razorpay product offers, 1:1 mentorship and programs like Rize for YC.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Razorpay Rize communities (Tech+, D2C+, Xport+)
- Who qualifies
- Rize Tech+: early-stage tech and AI founders
- Rize D2C+: D2C, e-commerce and retail founders
- Rize Xport+: Indian brands and businesses selling abroad
- You can join only one community; Razorpay picks the best fit
- No membership fee
- How long
- Ongoing membership; each partner deal has its own terms
- Referral or funding needed
- No, but each application goes through a selection process
- Card needed
- Not stated
- Work or school email
- Not stated
- Countries
- India-focused; no country limit stated
- India
- Yes. Run by Indian payments company Razorpay. Its company incorporation service is a separate, paid service.
- How to apply
- Apply to one community from razorpay.com/rize/community (registration at rize-dashboard.razorpay.com).
- Watch out for
- $500K is an aggregate of many partner deals, often discounts with their own eligibility. No founder gets all of it.
- Membership is selective, and you cannot join more than one community.
- Rize incorporation is a paid service (described as low fee).
- A founder testimonial on razorpay.com/rize mentions about $11K in GCP, AWS, Azure and OpenAI credits. That is one person’s experience, not a stated offer.
- Status note
- The $500,000 figure is the combined headline value of partner deals. The public page does not list each deal’s amount or conditions.
Official page for Razorpay Rize communities (Tech+, D2C+, Xport+) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
Rudra startup program (Shakti Cloud credits)
Yotta Data ServicesActiveAI/ML startups, bootstrapped to Series A
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startups
$10,000 GPU credits at Launch stage (first tranche $1K)Best case: Up to $100,000 at the Thrive stage
Shakti Cloud GPU credits by stage: Launch $10,000 (6 months), Ignite $25,000 (6 months), Fuel $50,000 (9 months), Thrive $100,000 (12 months), paid in tranches, plus 25% off extra usage and mentoring.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Rudra startup program (Shakti Cloud credits)
- Who qualifies
- Working on AI/ML, data science or high-performance computing
- Active company website and LinkedIn pages (company and applicant)
- Bootstrapped or funded up to Pre-Seed, Angel, Seed, debt or Series A
- Stage set by age and revenue/funding, e.g. Launch: under 1 year and under $50K; Thrive: under 10 years and under $2.5M revenue or over $1M funding
- No earlier Yotta credits of equal or greater value
- How long
- 6 to 12 months depending on stage, from entry into that stage
- Referral or funding needed
- No: bootstrapped up to Series A is accepted. Referrals from Yotta’s funding partners are welcome but not required
- Card needed
- Not stated
- Work or school email
- Not stated
- Countries
- No country limit stated; Shakti Cloud runs in Indian data centres
- India
- Yes. Indian GPU cloud and an IndiaAI compute provider. You must complete KYC and sign Yotta’s agreements.
- How to apply
- Use the apply-now form on yotta.com/rudra with a business plan, pitch deck, team bios, financial projections and KYC. Yotta confirms acceptance within 3 business days of finishing its evaluation.
- Watch out for
- Credits arrive in tranches, and the first is only $1,000. The rest comes as you qualify, despite the homepage line about up to $35K immediately.
- The Ignite tranches listed ($1,000 + $4,000 + $15,000) add up to $20,000, not the stated $25,000. Ask Yotta to confirm.
- If you enter at a later stage, you do not get the earlier stages’ credits; the overall cap is $100,000.
- Unused credits lapse when the stage’s validity ends, and you pay monthly invoices for usage beyond credits.
- You sign a program agreement, an MSA and service order forms, and Yotta gets a licence to use your name and logo in its marketing. Yotta can close the credit account or discontinue the program with notice.
- Status note
- Rudra pages carry a 2026 copyright. The eligibility page no longer lists NVIDIA Inception membership. yotta.com/shambho now redirects to Rudra, but the Rudra terms page still uses ‘Shambho’ wording.
Official page for Rudra startup program (Shakti Cloud credits) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
SAMRIDH (Startup Accelerator of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development and Growth)
MeitY Startup Hub (Ministry of Electronics and IT)Not fully confirmedAccelerator cohort only; form closed
Accelerator startupsFunded startups
Matching funding via an accelerator (amount unconfirmed)
Acceleration through MeitY-selected accelerators, plus one-to-one matching funding for IT-based startups. We could not confirm a current call, so we do not show an amount.
Low confidence: we could not confirm the key details on an official page. Check the official page before you rely on this entry.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for SAMRIDH (Startup Accelerator of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development and Growth)
- Who qualifies
- IT-based tech startup
- Selected by a MeitY-approved SAMRIDH accelerator (cohorts of 5 to 10 startups)
- How long
- Per accelerator cohort
- Referral or funding needed
- Yes: you must be selected into a cohort by a SAMRIDH accelerator, and the funding is matched one-to-one
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. India-only. You cannot apply to MeitY directly; you go through a participating accelerator.
- How to apply
- No open call found. Historically, startups applied to a SAMRIDH-partner accelerator when it opened a cohort.
- Watch out for
- Not a direct grant. Access depends on an accelerator cohort.
- The MSH application form is closed; treat the scheme as not accepting startups unless MeitY announces a new cohort.
- Matching funding means you need matching investment.
- Status note
- The MeitY Startup Hub page still describes the scheme (a target of 300 startups over 3 years) and shows Cohort 2 results, but its application link points to a closed Google Form. Digital India’s page (updated 12 October 2026) reports 43 accelerators in 16 states and 373 startups supported. A third-party report says the program concluded on 31 January 2026; no official page confirms an end date or a new call.
Sarvam Startup Program and free API sign-up credits
Sarvam AIActiveOpen: no referral or funding rule
Solo developersBootstrapped startupsFunded startups
Rs 100 sign-up credit; program credits set case by case
Indian-language AI APIs (speech, translation, text). New API accounts get Rs 100 in free credits. The Startup Program gives 6 to 12 months of API credits sized to your scale, plus direct engineering support.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Sarvam Startup Program and free API sign-up credits
- Who qualifies
- No formal criteria published; the form asks for product stage, funding stage, industry, team size and location
- Existing Sarvam API users can apply for more credits
- How long
- Program credits for 6 to 12 months. Sign-up and paid credits do not expire
- Referral or funding needed
- No requirement stated
- Card needed
- Not stated
- Work or school email
- Not stated
- Countries
- No country limit stated
- India
- Yes. Bengaluru-based provider. Pricing is in INR (Rs 1 = 1 credit).
- How to apply
- Sign up on Sarvam’s dashboard for the free credits. Apply for the program through the form at sarvam.ai/startup-program.
- Watch out for
- You must show ‘Powered by Sarvam’ in your product as a program condition.
- Unused program credits do not roll over after the term; then standard pricing applies.
- The free sign-up credit is small (Rs 100).
- Program credit amounts are not published.
- Status note
- Pages live as of 12 October 2026. Sarvam’s docs state Rs 100 of free credits on sign-up. The program credit amounts are set case by case and not published.
Official page for Sarvam Startup Program and free API sign-up credits (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
TANSEED (Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Grant Fund)
StartupTN (Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission)Not fully confirmedTamil Nadu startups; periodic editions
Bootstrapped startups
Seed grant up to Rs 10 lakh for a 3% stakeBest case: Up to Rs 15 lakh for green, rural or women-led
Support-equity-linked seed grant of up to Rs 15 lakh for green-tech, rural-impact and women-led startups and up to Rs 10 lakh for others, plus a one-year accelerator. StartupTN takes a 3% stake.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for TANSEED (Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Grant Fund)
- Who qualifies
- Private limited company (LLPs and partnerships are reviewed if willing to convert)
- Registered with TANSIM (StartupTN) and Startup India, and located and registered in Tamil Nadu
- Average profit under Rs 5 lakh over the last 3 years, with at least a proof of concept or MVP; not a pure service business
- Indian promoters hold at least 51%; not a subsidiary, joint venture, split-off of an existing business, or Indian arm of a foreign company
- How long
- One-time seed support plus a one-year accelerator program
- Referral or funding needed
- No
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India; Tamil Nadu-registered startups only
- India
- Yes. Only for startups located and registered in Tamil Nadu that are registered with StartupTN and Startup India.
- How to apply
- During an open call, click ‘Apply for Funding’ on the StartupTN TANSEED page, which sends you to tanfund.in. Sign up there, fill in your startup details and submit.
- Watch out for
- It is not a pure grant: StartupTN takes a 3% support stake in exchange for the funding
- Results take about 4 to 6 months after you apply
- Calls are periodic. Check the TANSEED page for the next edition before planning around it
- Rejected startups may reapply in later editions any number of times
- Status note
- The official TANSEED page still shows TANSEED 8.0 with a last date to apply of 30 January 2026. The FAQ says TANSEED is launched every quarter, but no newer edition was shown on 12 October 2026. Evaluation takes about 4 to 6 months. A second check on 13 October 2026 could not reach a live official page for this offer either.
Official page for TANSEED (Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Grant Fund) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
TIDE 2.0 (Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs)
MeitY Startup Hub (Ministry of Electronics and IT)Not fully confirmedVia a TIDE 2.0 incubator; status unclear
Bootstrapped startupsStudents
Prototype grants up to Rs 7 lakhBest case: Up to Rs 40 lakh investment support
MeitY support through 51 incubators for ICT startups using emerging tech (IoT, AI, blockchain, robotics). Entrepreneur-in-residence support up to Rs 4 lakh, prototype grants up to Rs 7 lakh, investment up to Rs 40 lakh.
Some details are uncertain or conflict between official pages. Check the official page before you apply.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for TIDE 2.0 (Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs)
- Who qualifies
- ICT startups using emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, blockchain and robotics
- Must work in one of seven themes of societal relevance chosen by MeitY
- Apply through one of the 51 TIDE 2.0 incubation centres, each of which runs its own calls
- How long
- Approved 1 February 2019 for five years (Rs 264.62 crore); the approval gives an expected completion date of 31 January 2024
- Referral or funding needed
- No; selection is done by a TIDE 2.0 incubation centre
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. For Indian tech startups incubated at a TIDE 2.0 centre (institutes of higher learning and R&D organisations). New applicants should look at GENESIS, which now covers the same centres.
- How to apply
- Pick a TIDE 2.0 incubation centre from the list on MeitY Startup Hub and ask whether it is still running TIDE cohorts, or apply to the same centre under GENESIS.
- Watch out for
- The original five-year term ended on 31 January 2024 per the official approval; continuation is unconfirmed
- Money flows through the incubator, which sets its own deadlines and selection
- Status note
- The official approval (1 February 2019) sets an expected completion date of 31 January 2024. The GENESIS brochure says GENESIS consolidates MeitY’s startup schemes and integrates the 51 TIDE centres. MeitY Startup Hub still lists TIDE 2.0 in its menu, but no official note on an extension or on current TIDE calls was found on 12 October 2026.
Zoho for Startups
ZohoActiveVia a Zoho enabler; India DPIIT direct
Bootstrapped startupsFunded startupsAccelerator startups
India: Rs 1 lakh in Zoho app credits at Stage 1Best case: Rs 1.86 lakh in India with Stage 2 (Rs 86,000)
Zoho Wallet credits for 55+ Zoho apps for 360 days. USD regions: up to $2,500 ($1,500 + $1,000 if you host your domain with Zoho). India: up to ₹1.86 lakh (₹1 lakh + ₹86,000). EUR and GBP: up to 4,000.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Zoho for Startups
- Who qualifies
- India page: a startup under the Startup India definition; elsewhere registered with a Zoho-collaborating enabler
- No current or past paid Zoho subscription; a new account does not reset this (free trials are fine)
- No earlier Zoho One or Zoho Wallet credit benefits; one-time only, even with several enablers; rejected applicants cannot reapply
- MSMEs with only Udyam registration are excluded in India
- Stage 2 needs your business email domain hosted and mapped with Zoho within 15 days of Stage 1
- How long
- 360 days from when Stage 1 credits are enabled; cannot be extended
- Referral or funding needed
- No funding needed. In India a DPIIT-recognised startup can apply directly under the self-funded/bootstrapped category. Elsewhere you apply through a Zoho-collaborating incubator, accelerator or other enabler.
- Card needed
- Not stated
- Work or school email
- Yes
- Countries
- Live, with limited access, in 23 countries: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uganda, UAE, UK. The US is not on the list.
- India
- Yes. India is the clearest route: with a DPIIT certificate you apply directly under the self-funded/bootstrapped category and get up to ₹1.86 lakh (₹1 lakh Stage 1 + ₹86,000 Stage 2). Without DPIIT you need a Zoho-collaborating enabler. Udyam (MSME) registration does not qualify.
- How to apply
- Create a Zoho account with your organisation’s primary admin email, then register on the Zoho for Startups page (DPIIT route) or through your enabler. Reply to the confirmation email to start validation.
- Watch out for
- Unused credits expire 360 days after Stage 1 and cannot be extended or refunded
- Stage 2 credits are lost if you miss the 15-day domain hosting and mapping window; an existing Zoho Mail account alone does not count
- Stage 2 credits cannot buy Zoho Workplace or Zoho Mail, and those two have a spending cap
- Credits can buy a yearly plan once per app but cannot renew it; they cannot buy domains, premium support, onboarding or training, third-party integrations, or Zoho Voice, Start, Domains, Backstage, Qntrl, Vikra or TrainerCentral
- Deleting the Zoho account wipes the credits permanently
- No cash value; no special renewal discount after credits run out
- Status note
- Confirmed on 12 October 2026. The page fills in amounts by region with a script; figures come from Zoho’s own price file behind the page. One FAQ answer on the main page says the program is open only to startups linked to collaborators, but the dedicated FAQ page confirms the direct DPIIT route. Processing takes 5-7 business days after you reply to the confirmation email.
Official page for Zoho for Startups (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
Ended and paused programs (1)
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
DPIIT (Startup India)EndedClosed 31 May 2026; incubator-selected
Bootstrapped startupsAccelerator startups
Grant up to Rs 20 lakh for proof of concept (closed)Best case: Plus up to Rs 50 lakh as debt for market entry
Up to Rs 20 lakh grant for proof of concept, prototypes or product trials, plus up to Rs 50 lakh as convertible debentures or debt for market entry, paid through approved incubators. Startup applications closed 31 May 2026.
Eligibility, card, India and how to apply for Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
- Who qualifies
- DPIIT-recognised startup
- Incorporated not more than 2 years before applying
- Indian promoters hold at least 51%
- Has not received more than Rs 10 lakh from other central or state schemes (prize money, subsidised space, founder allowance, lab and prototyping access excluded)
- How long
- Milestone-based instalments released by the incubator
- Referral or funding needed
- No funding needed, but you had to be selected by an SISFS-approved incubator
- Card needed
- Not applicable
- Work or school email
- Not applicable
- Countries
- India only
- India
- Yes. India-only scheme with a Rs 945 crore outlay, run through incubators across India.
- How to apply
- Closed to new startups. It worked through seedfund.startupindia.gov.in, where startups applied to approved incubators. Watch the portal for any successor.
- Watch out for
- Closed to new startup applications since 31 May 2026.
- The grant was paid in milestone instalments, not upfront.
- The Rs 50 lakh market-entry tranche is debt or convertible, not a grant.
- Prior government support above Rs 10 lakh disqualified you.
- Status note
- The portal says the startup application window closed on 31 May 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, and incubators could finish selections until 30 June 2026. Applications submitted by the deadline are still processed. No successor scheme is announced on an official page as of 12 October 2026.
Official page for Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 October 2026
Global startup programs that accept Indian companies
Most global credit programs set no country limit, so an Indian private limited company applies like anyone else. The catches are practical: email domains, paid-plan accounts and card checks. Full entries are on our global startup credit programs page.
| Program | Indian Pvt Ltd? | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Activate | Yes | $1,000 to start (up to $5,000 if selected). The AWS account must be on a paid plan, Indian accounts are billed by AISPL (Amazon Internet Services Private Limited, AWS’s Indian entity), and the account email must match your company domain. |
| Google for Startups Cloud | Yes | $2,000 on the Start tier. Your email, website and billing-account domains must match, and a billing account with an Indian address must pass identity verification within 30 days. |
| Microsoft for Startups | Yes | Up to $200 on joining; the $5,000 step needs business verification as a registered legal entity. A card is required. |
| Cloudflare for Startups | Yes | $10,000 without an investor, with a payment method on file. See Cloudflare for Startups for Indian companies. |
| Claude for Startups | Not now | Closed to new applicants. On 15 October 2026 Anthropic’s page said its current cohort is full and it is not accepting applications. Current members keep partner offers worth up to $45,000. See Can Indian startups apply for Claude for Startups? |
| OpenAI for Startups | Only with a partner VC | Credits need a referral code from a VC in OpenAI’s network, and the VCs OpenAI names are US firms. |
| NVIDIA Inception | Yes, once incorporated | Incorporate before you apply. No credit amounts are published. |
| PostHog for Startups | Yes | $50,000 in credits, but you must be on a paid plan first, so use a card enabled for international recurring payments. |
Perks that need a US company
These bundles are only for US-registered companies, so an Indian private limited company is not eligible.
- Stripe Atlas forms a Delaware C corp or LLC for $500 and adds $2,500 in Stripe credits. Stripe’s guide for Indian resident founders covers RBI overseas investment rules, and the company brings ongoing US filings.
- Mercury Perks need a Mercury account, which needs a US-registered company; Indian residents can be its founders.
- Brex needs a US EIN (employer identification number), US incorporation, a US address and US operations.
- Ramp needs a physical US address and at least $25,000 in a US business bank account.
Do not double-count: bank and Atlas perk lists repeat the same big names, such as $5,000 in AWS credits, and the $350,000 headlines from Brex and Ramp are sums of partner discounts. AWS Activate also gives only the difference between a new grant and what you had before. Do not form a US company for perks alone; ask a CA and a lawyer first.
Does Startup India give AWS credits?
Not that we could confirm. The Startup India partner page lists 23 pro bono partners, including Amazon, DigitalOcean, Zoho and Freshworks, with a launch date of 2 April 2020, but shows no current offer terms or amounts. MeitY Startup Hub lists no AWS, Google or Microsoft cloud credits either.
You do not need DPIIT recognition for AWS credits. AWS Activate Founders starts at $1,000, and selected startups can get up to $5,000; its pages state no DPIIT requirement and do not exclude India. Treat any pitch of “free AWS credits with Startup India registration” as unconfirmed until AWS’s own page says so.
Free AI plans for people in India
These offers are for individuals, not companies. The Google AI Plus student entry is in the list above; the other full entries, renewal prices and scam checks are on free ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity plan offers.
| Offer | Who qualifies | Claim by | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google AI Pro with Jio | Jio users aged 18+ on a qualifying plan | 29 October 2026 | Up to 18 months free; stay on a qualifying plan |
| Google AI Plus for students | University students in India aged 18+, with a payment method | 31 December 2026 | One year free, then Rs 399 a month unless you cancel |
| Adobe Express Premium with Airtel | Airtel customers | 28 January 2027 | 12 months; ends on its own |
| Google AI Pro with a Pixel 10 Pro | Pixel 10 Pro buyers; India is on the country list | 31 October 2026 | 12 months; cancel before it renews |
The ChatGPT Go free year and Perplexity Pro with Airtel have ended; see our AI plans page for what happens when they run out.
Paying for foreign cloud and AI tools from India
- Use one card for foreign tools. Turn on international online payments in your banking app and set a low limit, so no surprise charge can go past it.
- Expect US dollar bills. Most global programs bill in USD, so your rupee cost moves with the exchange rate.
- AWS bills Indian sign-ups through AISPL, which in the classic sign-up charges Rs 2 to verify a card and refunds it in 3 to 5 days.
- Google Cloud accepts UPI in India after a prepayment, typically Rs 500 to 1,000, and a billing account with an Indian address must pass identity verification within 30 days or may be suspended.
- Expect small checks and taxes. Render runs a refunded $1 card check, Azure and DigitalOcean may place a temporary $1 hold, and Vercel adds GST to invoices for paid plans.
- Know what happens when credits end. Cloudflare bills the card on file, Microsoft for Startups switches to pay-as-you-go, and so does E2E after 12 months. Set a reminder a month before each expiry.
GST and accounting: Some providers add GST to Indian invoices; Vercel, for example, adds it for paid plans. We do not give tax advice, so ask your CA how GST applies to your invoices. Credits are not cash either: ask your CA how to record them. Our GST calculator helps you check the arithmetic on an invoice.
Professional help
Got credits? Put them to work on your finance workflows
We build automation for finance and accounting teams: invoice capture, reconciliations and reports that update themselves. Tell us what slows your books down and we will reply with a plan and a quote.
Invoice and document capture with AI, checked by a person
Bank, GST and vendor reconciliations that run on a schedule
MIS reports your team can trust, built on your own data
No spam. We use your details only to reply to this request.
Free download
Startup credits tracker for Excel
Log each credit grant with its expiry date and how much you use each month, and see which credits will run out or expire first. The workbook also lists the programs we track, with a link to each official page.
Download the tracker (.xlsx)Free Excel file. No email or sign-up needed. Programs checked 12 and 13 October 2026.
Startup credits in India: FAQ
What are the benefits of DPIIT recognition?
Recognition lets an eligible Indian entity apply for a 3-year income-tax holiday within its first 10 years, Companies Act, labour-law and procurement relaxations, and schemes such as the IndiaAI startup route and the direct route into Zoho for Startups. It pays nothing by itself, and each benefit needs its own application. Recognition is free on NSWS, and DPIIT has appointed no agents.
Is the Startup India Seed Fund still open?
No. The startup application window closed on 31 May 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, and incubators could finish their selections until 30 June 2026. No successor scheme had been announced on an official page when we checked on 12 and 13 October 2026.
How do I get subsidised GPUs from the IndiaAI compute portal?
Register at compute.indiaai.gov.in and submit a compute request with a project proposal between the 1st and the 25th of a month; approved users are published on the 10th of the next month. Startups need DPIIT recognition, AI/ML experience and Rs 50 lakh in revenue or Rs 1 crore in funding. The subsidy is at most 40%, and you must start within 30 days of approval.
What free credits can a startup in India get without an investor?
An Indian company can apply for AWS Activate Founders ($1,000, up to $5,000 if selected), the Google for Startups Cloud Start tier ($2,000) and Cloudflare for Startups ($10,000) without an investor or DPIIT recognition; each wants a business email on your company’s own domain. Indian GPU clouds add E2E Networks’ AI Explorer ($5,000 for 12 months, for AI startups with 10 or fewer staff) and Yotta’s Launch stage ($10,000 over 6 months, paid in tranches, for companies under a year old). Credits are not cash, and each program sets its own expiry.
Is GST charged on AWS or Google Cloud bills in India?
Some providers add it to Indian invoices: Vercel, for example, adds GST to paid-plan invoices. AWS bills Indian sign-ups through its Indian entity, AISPL. We do not give tax advice, so ask your CA how GST applies to your bills.
Can I pay for cloud services with an Indian debit card?
Often, if the card is enabled for international online payments. Azure’s free account, for example, takes a credit or debit card but not a prepaid one, and AWS’s Indian entity AISPL lists Visa, Mastercard and American Express and charges Rs 2 to verify a card, then refunds it. Google Cloud also accepts UPI in India after a prepayment, typically Rs 500 to 1,000.
Can a sole proprietorship get Startup India benefits?
No. DPIIT recognition is open only to private limited companies, registered partnership firms, LLPs and cooperative societies, and most Startup India benefits need it. Some schemes do not: NIDHI-PRAYAS and NIDHI-EIR accept individuals, and Kerala’s Idea Grant asks for incorporation only before the money is paid.
Newsletter updates
Never miss a compliance update.
GST and income-tax changes, CBDT circular breakdowns and free Excel templates for finance teams, sent straight to your inbox.
Free updates. Unsubscribe anytime. Read our privacy policy.
Related guides
- Section 80-IAC to Section 140 mapping
- Zoho Books vs TallyPrime
- Can Indian startups apply for Claude for Startups?
- Cloudflare for Startups for Indian companies
- Global startup credit programs
- Free ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity plan offers
- Free AI APIs and GPU credits
- AWS, Google Cloud and Azure free tiers
- GST calculator
- Free credits list: every program we track
- Free credits and tools for students
- Free credits for Indian nonprofits: registration and FCRA rules
Please note: Indian schemes open and close by call, often centre by centre, and the amounts here are the maximums each scheme publishes. We checked every official page on 12 and 13 October 2026, but rules change and there can be a gap before we update this page, so confirm on the official page before you apply. Nothing here is tax or legal advice: ask your CA about the tax holiday, GST and how to record grants and credits.
Sources
- Startup India: recognition page (eligibility, G.S.R. 108(E), Section 80-IAC, no fee and no agents) (opens in a new tab)
- Startup Playbook for DPIIT-recognised startups, April 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Startup India: resource partners page (opens in a new tab)
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme portal (opens in a new tab)
- IndiaAI compute portal (opens in a new tab)
- IndiaAI compute Ready Reckoner: on-demand rates, 13 March 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- IndiaAI price calculator (maximum subsidy) (opens in a new tab)
- ELEVATE 2026: official application site (opens in a new tab)
- Karnataka EITBT: ELEVATE NxT 2026 and ELEVATE Minorities 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Karnataka EITBT: ELEVATE 2025 terms (opens in a new tab)
- Kerala Startup Mission: early stage funding (opens in a new tab)
- StartupTN: TANSEED (opens in a new tab)
- DST: NIDHI-PRAYAS 2.0 (opens in a new tab)
- DST: NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (opens in a new tab)
- DST: NIDHI Seed Support Program (opens in a new tab)
- MeitY Startup Hub (opens in a new tab)
- MeitY Startup Hub: GENESIS (opens in a new tab)
- MeitY Startup Hub: TIDE 2.0 (opens in a new tab)
- MeitY Startup Hub: SAMRIDH (opens in a new tab)
- BIRAC: Biotechnology Ignition Grant (opens in a new tab)
- BIRAC: calls for proposals (opens in a new tab)
- Atal Innovation Mission: ANIC guidelines, May 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- AWS registration FAQ (AISPL card verification) (opens in a new tab)
- Google Cloud: UPI payments in India (opens in a new tab)
- Google Cloud: billing account identity verification in India (opens in a new tab)
- Claude Startups program page (cohort full, checked 15 October 2026) (opens in a new tab)