Idea Grant — Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Idea Grant, startups must meet specific criteria designed to ensure the program supports the most promising early-stage ventures within Kerala's innovation ecosystem.

• Stage of Development: Applicants should be operating at the Ideation, Designing, Proof of Concept (PoC), or early Minimum Viable Prototype (MVP) stages. This focus ensures the grant provides critical support during the formative phases of a startup's journey, helping bridge the gap between concept and commercial viability.
• Geographical Base: Applicants must be innovators based out of Kerala. This condition reinforces the program's mandate to bolster local entrepreneurship and contribute directly to the state's economic development and innovation capacity.
• Innovation and Technology Focus: The scheme exclusively considers innovative technology-based products. This ensures that the grant supports ventures with high growth potential, leveraging cutting-edge solutions to address market needs. The emphasis is on novel applications of technology that have the potential to disrupt or significantly improve existing solutions.
• Legal Entity Status: While applications can be submitted prior, company incorporation as a Private Limited Company (Pvt Ltd) or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is mandatory before the disbursal of funds. This requirement ensures legal compliance and facilitates structured financial transactions and accountability.
• Application History: A minimum of three months must have passed since a previous application or receipt of support under this specific scheme. This criterion ensures fair access to funding opportunities and encourages applicants to refine their proposals based on feedback or further development before reapplying.

Idea Grant is open to startups at the idea and product stage. The programme is targeted at startups registered in Kerala. Applicants should be registered as private limited and llp.