Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant
A grant of up to ₹3,00,000 from the Government of Gujarat that covers the cost of enrolling in and attending nationally or internationally recognised acceleration programs. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Funding amount
- ₹3L (grant)
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Industries and Mines Department, Government of Gujarat (Government)
- Application deadline
- Rolling
- Eligible stage
- Any stage
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
Overview
The Industries and Mines Department, Government of Gujarat, runs a wide-ranging startup and innovation assistance scheme that sits inside the state's Gujarat Industrial Policy. The scheme took effect on 7 August 2020 and is framed to remain in force until 6 August 2025. Its declared goals are economic growth, fresh employment, healthy market competition and the arrival of next-generation solutions from young companies.
Inside that umbrella sits a focused component — Assistance to Enroll and Participate for Acceleration Program. It exists to pay for one specific thing: getting an eligible startup into a reputed acceleration cohort, whether that cohort is run in India or overseas.
The logic behind the component is simple. An accelerator compresses a great deal of learning into a few months, offering structured mentoring, exposure to technical resources, investor feedback and a peer network of founders. The fees and participation costs attached to these cohorts are often beyond the reach of very early-stage teams. This component bridges that gap with a grant of as much as ₹3,00,000.
Highlights
- Grant of up to ₹3,00,000 per selected startup
- Money is meant for acceleration program enrolment and participation costs
- Both national and international acceleration programs are covered
- Open across all sectors — science, technology, engineering, agriculture, healthcare and more
- Recommendation from an approved Nodal Institution is compulsory
- Rolling applications, within a scheme window that runs to 6 August 2025
Who can apply
Eligibility is built around the quality of an idea rather than around turnover, sector or company size.
- Individuals or groups of individuals with an innovative idea or concept may apply. A particular corporate structure is not laid down as a precondition.
- An approved Nodal Institution must recommend the applicant. This is the single clearest condition in the scheme, and it means a startup has to clear a vetting step with the nodal body before its application carries weight.
- Every sector is covered. The scheme is deliberately sector-agnostic and extends across science, technology, engineering, agriculture, healthcare and other branches of work.
- Teams already on the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) remain eligible; taking SSIP benefits does not disqualify an applicant here.
Because the programme is administered by the Government of Gujarat through its Startup Gujarat platform, applicants should expect to engage with the state's startup ecosystem during the process.
Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.
- Eligible stage
- Any stage
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
Deadline & timing
Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.
What the funding covers
The headline benefit is a grant of up to ₹3,00,000 per eligible startup, released to meet the costs of enrolling in and participating in an acceleration program that is recognised at the national or international level.
Beyond the cash, the scheme unlocks what an accelerator itself provides. Beneficiaries step into an ecosystem that typically includes:
- Mentorship from experienced industry practitioners.
- Access to advanced resources and technology that would otherwise be costly for an early-stage team.
- Networking with fellow founders, domain experts and potential investors.
- Incubation support shaped around faster product development and quicker entry into the market.
The point of the support is to hand a startup both the money and the connections it needs to scale quickly and sustainably.
About the provider
Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant is offered by Industries and Mines Department, Government of Gujarat, a government body. As a government-backed grant, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India.
How to apply
Applications are submitted on the . Confirm the current deadline and document checklist there before you start.
Selection process
Applications are screened by the Startup Gujarat Cell along with the relevant authorities.
A mandatory gateway comes first: the startup must be recommended by an approved Nodal Institution. In practice this means each nodal institution carries out its own initial vetting before an application moves ahead.
The final decision is understood to weigh the merit of the innovation, the potential impact of the startup and how well the chosen acceleration program fits the applicant's needs. The scheme does not publish a detailed scoring rubric, so specific evaluation criteria are not laid out in the public scheme documents.
Documents you’ll need
Before you apply to Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant, 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.
Who this is best for
Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹3L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding does this scheme provide?
Selected startups can receive a grant of up to ₹3,00,000. The money is directed specifically at the costs of enrolling in and participating in an acceleration program recognised nationally or internationally, and it does not have to be paid back.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any individual or group of individuals with an innovative idea or concept can apply, as long as an approved Nodal Institution recommends them. The scheme is sector-agnostic, so work in science, technology, engineering, agriculture, healthcare and other fields all falls within scope. Startups already receiving support under the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) are also eligible.
Is there a deadline for applications?
No fixed closing date is set for this component — it runs on a rolling basis, so applications are accepted continuously. The umbrella scheme itself is framed to remain in force until 6 August 2025, so founders should confirm the live status of the window on the Startup Gujarat portal before applying.
Do I need DPIIT recognition or MSME registration?
The scheme does not list DPIIT recognition or MSME registration among its conditions, and it does not confine applicants to a particular type of entity. What it does require is a recommendation from an approved Nodal Institution, which acts as the main eligibility filter.
Does the scheme take equity in my startup?
No. This is a grant, so the government does not take an equity stake and the amount is not a loan that has to be repaid. The support is non-dilutive for founders.
What exactly can the grant be used for?
The funds are meant to cover the cost of enrolling in and taking part in a recognised acceleration program. That is the purpose the scheme is built around, and the benefit is tied to a startup's participation in such a cohort rather than to general business expenses.
How do I apply?
Applications go through the Startup Gujarat portal. You first register with your email ID and verify the details, then complete the Common Application Form after logging in. Once inside your dashboard, make sure all required details are filled in, click the Apply Now icon, and from the list of schemes choose the Assistance to Enroll and Participate for Acceleration Program before completing the application.
What do I get beyond the money?
Participation in an acceleration program brings mentorship from seasoned industry experts, exposure to advanced resources and technology, networking with peers and potential investors, and structured incubation support. All of this comes alongside the grant and is aimed at speeding up product development and market entry.
Can student startups covered under SSIP apply?
Yes. Startups already availing benefits under the Student Startup and Innovation Policy are explicitly eligible for this component, so an existing SSIP engagement does not bar an application. SSIP registration is not stated as a mandatory prerequisite for everyone else.
Who evaluates my application?
The Startup Gujarat Cell and the relevant authorities screen the applications. An approved Nodal Institution also vets the startup as part of the recommendation requirement, and the final assessment is understood to consider the merit of the innovation, the startup's potential impact and the suitability of the acceleration program chosen.
Who offers Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant?
Assistance to Enroll and Participate in Acceleration Programs — ₹3L Grant is offered by Industries and Mines Department, Government of Gujarat, a government body. It is provided as non-dilutive funding.
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