Grant
Varies
Emergent Ventures India by Mercatus Center
by Mercatus Center, George Mason University (USA)
Equity-free grant for Indian founders with bold zero-to-one ideas, from Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Rolling
ViewStartup Grants for Student Entrepreneurs in India
Grants, fellowships and campus-linked funding open to student entrepreneurs and recent graduates — capital you can raise while still enrolled, usually without needing a registered company on day one.
13 grantsUpdated daily
Grant
₹5LUp to
IHFC READY Program
by IHFC, IIT Delhi
Deep-tech pre-seed incubation for final year students and recent graduates at IIT Delhi, offering up to ₹5L equity-free grant and lab access.
Rolling
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₹5LUp to
NSRCEL Campus Founders Programme by IIM Bangalore
by NSRCEL, IIM Bangalore
Equity-free grant up to ₹5L & incubation for student founders by IIM Bangalore.
Rolling
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Varies
AI Summer Residency by IIMA Ventures
by IIMA Ventures
Rolling
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₹90LUp to
ACE $100k High-Touch AI Accelerator by Invention Engine
by Invention Engine
ACE $100k is a high-touch, founder-first accelerator for early-stage AI and deeptech startups, offering up to $100K in capital with six months of intensive support across product, GTM, hiring, and fundraising. Only a very small cohort is selected for deep engagement.
Rolling
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₹2.3CrUp to
Thiel Fellowship — $250K Grant for Young Founders Under 22
by Thiel Foundation
₹2.25 crore equity-free grant for founders aged 22 or younger, drop out of college and build for two years.
Rolling
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₹20LUp to
EngSUI Innovation Challenge
by SIIC IIT Kanpur
An equity-free grant of up to ₹20L by EIL & SIIC IIT Kanpur to turn novel ideas into working prototypes for Indian citizens and student innovators.
Rolling
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₹2L – ₹30LRange
iCreate Pro-Fund Gateway Prototype/PoC Funding Support
by iCreate
iCreate connects innovators and startups at the idea-to-PoC stage with government funding schemes from GoI and the Government of Gujarat, alongside mentorship, lab access, and on-campus incubation.
Rolling
ViewCompetition
₹1L – ₹25LRange
D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge
by Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
BE3 challenge: cash + RD grant for bio-concept proposals, Indian nationals.
31 Oct 2026
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Varies
NEEV Startup Kickstart Program – Pre-Incubation Cohort 2026
by IKN Innovation Foundation, IMI Kolkata
Pre-incubation for early-stage & student founders, limited cohort.
Rolling
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₹2.5L – ₹10LRange
Startup Srujan Seed Support (S4) – Cohort 3
under SSIP 2.0 (Student Startup and Innovation Policy 2.0 — Gujarat) · by Gujarat Student Startup and Innovation Hub (i-Hub)
Grants of ₹2.5–10 lakh for student innovators in Gujarat to develop prototypes and reach market readiness.
Rolling
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₹4LUp to
NUZEN Agri-Startup Grant for Student Innovators – NaaViC (ICAR-NIVEDI)
by NaaViC, ICAR-NIVEDI
NUZEN Agri-Startup Grant by NaaViC/ICAR-NIVEDI awards up to ₹4L non-dilutive grant to student innovators for agriculture and allied sector ideas at idea-to-prototype stage.
Closed (30 Jun 2026)
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₹10LUp to
UPES DST-iTBI Ignition Grant 2.0 – Runway Incubator
under NIDHI-iTBI (Ignition Grant) · by Runway Incubator, UPES
Up to ₹10L grant for early-stage innovators in DeepTech, AI/ML, AgriTech, and Sustainability by Runway Incubator, UPES DST-iTBI.
Closed (10 Jun 2026)
ViewStudent programmes lean early: idea and prototype stage, smaller cheques, and incubation support through a college or government innovation cell. They're the natural first rung before a DPIIT-recognised startup grant.
Frequently asked questions
What founders ask about student entrepreneurs funding.
Can I apply for startup funding while still studying?
Yes — student-founder programmes are built for exactly that. Many run through campus incubators or innovation cells and don't require a registered company to start.
Do I need a registered company as a student?
Often not at the application stage. Several programmes let you apply with a team and an idea, and help you incorporate if you're selected.
What funding amounts do student grants offer?
Typically smaller, prototype-scale grants — enough to build and test — rather than large growth cheques. Each programme's amount is listed on its page.