India-UK InnoXchange Programme

The India-UK InnoXchange Programme is a bilateral initiative jointly driven by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation). On the Indian side, the implementation is managed by the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at IIT Delhi. This programme is a cornerstone of the broader India–UK partnership on research and innovation, designed to foster cross-border entrepreneurship and facilitate the exchange of technology-led startups.

The core aim is to build stronger collaborative bridges between the innovation ecosystems of both countries. It connects startups, incubators, accelerators, universities, research institutions, industry, and other key stakeholders. Through structured exchanges, participants gain exposure to the partner country's innovation landscape, helping them identify collaborators, understand international markets, and explore technology partnerships, joint product development, investments, and market access.

Key objectives include:

• Facilitating bilateral exchange and exposure visits for deep-tech startup founders, innovators, and incubation professionals.
• Strengthening knowledge-sharing mechanisms between the Indian and UK innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
• Enabling startups to comprehend the technology, business, and regulatory environments in the partner country.
• Promoting collaboration among startups, incubators, academia, research institutions, industry, and investors.
• Exploring opportunities for collaborative R&D, technology transfer, and business partnerships.
• Supporting international market access, B2B matchmaking, and identifying investment opportunities.
• Promoting best practices in incubation management, deep-tech commercialisation, IP management, and startup financing.
• Developing institutional and mentorship networks between incubators and stakeholders in both countries.

• Bilateral India-UK exchange programme for deep-tech startups and incubation professionals.
• Priority sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, with focus on Advanced Battery Manufacturing and Advanced Semiconductors and Electronics Manufacturing.
• Full travel support: round-trip airfare, visa costs, and medical insurance covered by DST.
• Full local hospitality in the UK: accommodation, local transport, and meals provided.
• Curated exposure visits to UK Catapult Centres and research labs, with networking and collaboration opportunities.
• Startups must be nominated by an eligible incubator; direct applications not accepted.

The programme is designed for established incubators in India that are supported by DST or other eligible bodies, possessing at least seven years of experience in technology incubation. These incubators nominate their representatives (incubation professionals with 5-7 years of experience in the startup or incubation ecosystem, especially with technology startups) and also nominate 2-3 deep-tech startups they support. Nominated startups must operate at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-6, be technology-led, and have at least 51% equity held by Indian citizens. Startups must also comply with DPIIT age and recognition norms and be relevant to the programme's priority sector (Advanced Manufacturing for the first cycle, with emphasis on Advanced Battery Manufacturing and Advanced Semiconductors and Electronics Manufacturing). The nominated participant from the startup must be an Indian citizen founder or co-founder.

India-UK InnoXchange Programme is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

Applications for India-UK InnoXchange Programme are open and the current deadline is Closes in 2d (17 Jul 2026). Applications are closing soon, so prepare your documents early. Deadlines can change — always reconfirm on the official source before submitting.

Participants receive comprehensive support for their international exposure visit. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), through FITT, IIT Delhi, covers approved round-trip airfare, visa costs, and medical insurance for selected Indian participants. The UK counterpart provides full local hospitality, including accommodation, local transportation, and meals throughout the approved delegation visit. This support package removes financial barriers, allowing deep-tech startups and incubation professionals to fully engage in a structured programme of meetings, workshops, and networking to explore technology partnerships, market access, and investment opportunities in the UK.

India-UK InnoXchange Programme is offered by FITT, IIT Delhi, an academic institution. It is delivered directly by FITT, IIT Delhi as a grant. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

The selection process is multi-staged. Initially, applications are invited from eligible incubators. A preliminary scrutiny and programme-fit assessment is conducted by FITT, IIT Delhi, to evaluate the incubator, its nominated representative(s), and the nominated startups against eligibility and priority criteria. The final selection of incubators, representatives, and startups is made by an Expert Committee constituted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Selected participants must then undergo comprehensive due diligence and fulfil all prescribed onboarding requirements before official participation.

Before you apply to India-UK InnoXchange Programme, 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.