DST NIDHI PRAYAS Program at CIE - IIIT Hyderabad

The DST NIDHI PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators & Startups) Program, hosted by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at IIIT Hyderabad, is a flagship prototyping grant initiative. It aims to help innovators transform their concepts into a working hardware proof-of-concept (PoC) or prototype over a typical 12-month period.

Participants gain access to state-of-the-art facilities such as 3D printing, cutting, welding, and electrical lab machinery. The program also provides expert mentorship from industry professionals to validate the product and accelerate innovation. A key benefit is that the intellectual property (IP) generated during the project stays with the innovator or startup.

The grant is open to individuals and teams with a hardware or deep-tech idea who are ready to build a prototype. It prohibits applicants who have already received similar funding from other government programs for the same product.

• Grant of up to ₹10 lakh for hardware and deep-tech prototyping.
• Free access to advanced labs including 3D printing, welding, and electrical facilities.
• IP ownership remains with the innovator or startup.
• Open to Indian citizens aged 18+ with a prototype idea.
• Startups must be under 7 years old and have turnover under ₹25 lakh annually.
• NOC required for students and employed applicants.

To be eligible, you must be an Indian citizen aged 18 or above. You must have a clear idea for a hardware or deep-tech product prototype that you intend to develop from concept to working model. The program does not fund ideas already supported by similar government funding.

For innovators/teams, the applicant should possess the necessary know-how for the project. Teams must designate a lead innovator who will receive the funds. Startups must have been in existence for no more than 7 years from incorporation at the time of application, and their annual turnover must never have exceeded ₹25 lakh in any financial year since inception.

Students or employed innovators need to provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their institution or employer, granting permission to apply and sufficient time to work on the project.

DST NIDHI PRAYAS Program at CIE - IIIT Hyderabad is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for DST NIDHI PRAYAS Program at CIE - IIIT Hyderabad closed on 25 Oct 2025. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

• Prototyping grant of up to ₹10 lakh to build a working hardware PoC or prototype.
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities and labs including 3D Printing, Cutting, Welding, and Electrical Lab machinery.
• Mentorship from industry experts to validate the product and accelerate innovation.
• IP generated vests with the innovator/startup – no loss of ownership.
• Typical program duration of 12 months to develop the prototype.

DST NIDHI PRAYAS Program at CIE - IIIT Hyderabad is offered by Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIIT Hyderabad, an academic institution. It is delivered directly by Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIIT Hyderabad as a grant. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Before you apply to DST NIDHI PRAYAS Program at CIE - IIIT Hyderabad, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

DST NIDHI PRAYAS Program at CIE - IIIT Hyderabad is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹10L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.