How to Apply for ELEVATE Aspire 2026 — Startup Karnataka Grant (Beyond Bengaluru)

The selection process consists of five stages:

1. Online Application Submission: Submit the application through the ELEVATE portal with incorporation details, business and innovation information, founding team credentials, financials, a grant utilisation plan, and mandatory documents.

2. Data Sufficiency & Eligibility Screening: The Program Management Unit (PMU) verifies legal eligibility, startup age, turnover cap, ownership norms, and registration location (must be outside Bengaluru Urban).

3. Multi-City Pitching: Aspire applicants proceed directly to in-person pitch sessions across Karnataka (no desk-based pitch deck review). A minimum score of 60 out of 100 is required to advance.

4. Grand Finale Pitching: Final pitching before a jury. A consolidated merit list is prepared for ELEVATE Aspire.

5. Final Selection, Grant Sanction & Onboarding: The ELEVATE Evaluation Committee (chaired by the Secretary, Dept. of Electronics, IT, BT & S&T) ratifies the list. Grants are sanctioned and onboarding follows.

Applications are scored out of 100 across five parameters: Novelty/Innovation (30), Strength of Business Model (30), Potential Socio-economic Impact (20), Team Strength (10), and Budgetary Allocation (10). The jury composition changes by round based on domain expertise. Cumulative scores determine the final ranking and tiered grant allocation.