Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program — ₹3L Fellowship for Karnataka Innovators

Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program (RGEP) is a fellowship run by Startup Karnataka for young innovators in the state. Every year it selects 30 individuals and walks them through a 12-month journey that begins with a raw idea and ends with something demonstrable — a prototype, a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or a Proof of Concept (PoC) that shows real business potential.

The thinking behind the programme is straightforward. Rather than treating a Science or Engineering degree as a route into a salaried job, RGEP backs graduates who would rather build something of their own. The wider aim is job creation, faster technological progress and growth driven by innovation inside Karnataka.

Money is only one part of the offer. Each selected innovator is attached to a designated Innovation Hub, including K-Tech partners, which keeps track of progress through the fellowship and provides mentorship. Fellows are expected to stay fully committed to their venture for the entire duration of the programme.

• ₹3,00,000 fellowship per innovator, paid as a ₹25,000 monthly stipend over 12 months
• Equity-free and non-repayable — the programme takes no stake in your venture
• 30 innovators selected every year, each attached to an Innovation Hub such as a K-Tech partner
• Open to Science and Engineering graduates who are Indian citizens with Karnataka domicile, aged 30 or under
• Built for ideas at early ideation to early prototype stage — not for finished products or revenue-generating businesses
• Selection ends with a 20-minute jury presentation scored on novelty, socio-economic impact, problem clarity, feasibility and commercial potential

RGEP is aimed at individual innovators, not registered companies, and the eligibility bar is deliberately specific:

• You must be a citizen of India and a domicile of Karnataka.
• You must hold a 3-year or 4-year degree in Science or Engineering. Around 2 years of post-degree work experience is preferred.
• You must be 30 years of age or younger as on the application date.
• You must not be employed anywhere, and you must not hold a stake in any other startup.
• You must be able to dedicate yourself solely to the proposed business idea for the full 12 months of the fellowship.
• Your cumulative prior grant funding — from government, private or academic sources — must not exceed ₹5 lakh.
• You must not be earning any revenue from any product or service.
• Your idea has to sit between early ideation and early prototype stage. Finished prototypes and commercially ready solutions are outside the scope of this programme.

Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program — ₹3L Fellowship for Karnataka Innovators is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program — ₹3L Fellowship for Karnataka Innovators closed on 15 Sept 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

The core benefit is a ₹3,00,000 fellowship for each selected innovator, released as a ₹25,000 monthly stipend spread across 12 months. It is a subsistence grant — equity-free and non-repayable — meant to give you a financial floor while you work through the risky ideation and early prototype phase.

Beyond the cash, fellows get:

• Attachment to a designated Innovation Hub, including K-Tech partners, for the duration of the fellowship.
• Continuous progress monitoring and expert mentorship from the hub.
• Access to an entrepreneurial network of peers, mentors and enablers.
• A clear runway to convert an idea into a PoC, MVP or prototype with demonstrable market viability.

Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program — ₹3L Fellowship for Karnataka Innovators is offered by Startup Karnataka, a government body. As a government-backed fellowship, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Selection happens in two clear stages.

Stage 1 — Data Sufficiency check. Every application received is screened to confirm that the applicant meets the basic eligibility criteria and has submitted all required documents, including the pitch deck. Only complete and authentic submissions move ahead.

Stage 2 — Jury Evaluation. Shortlisted applicants are invited to present their innovation and idea in person before a jury panel of three members drawn from industry associations, academia and the corporate sector. Each innovator gets around 20 minutes to make their case.

The jury scores every pitch on fixed, weighted parameters:

• Novelty / Innovation — 30 marks
• Potential Socio-economic Impact — 30 marks
• Clarity of Problem Statement — 20 marks
• Feasibility and Implementation — 10 marks
• Commercial Potential — 10 marks

Applicants who clear this round are onboarded into RGEP and attached to a designated Innovation Hub for their 12-month fellowship.

Before you apply to Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program — ₹3L Fellowship for Karnataka Innovators, 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.

Rajiv Gandhi Entrepreneurship Program — ₹3L Fellowship for Karnataka Innovators 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.