Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program

The Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program is a dedicated initiative designed to empower women founders operating from India's Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural regions. This program addresses critical challenges faced by women entrepreneurs outside major metropolitan areas, such as limited access to capital, mentorship, and robust incubation facilities.

Jointly launched by Oxyzo Financial Services and the Pilani Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS) at BITS Pilani, Saksham provides financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakhs. This funding is intended to help early-stage startups validate their concepts, develop prototypes, enhance operational capabilities, and accelerate their market entry strategies.

Beyond financial aid, the program offers comprehensive support including structured mentorship and capacity-building workshops. These resources help women entrepreneurs refine their business models, improve financial planning, strengthen corporate governance, and achieve sustainable growth. Participants also gain access to PIEDS' incubation infrastructure, which includes workspace and expert entrepreneurial guidance within a structured innovation ecosystem.

Saksham strategically aims to promote decentralized startup growth, encouraging innovation from emerging cities and rural clusters. By fostering inclusive entrepreneurship and requiring majority ownership by a woman co-founder, the program ensures significant leadership participation and long-term wealth creation for women. It specifically targets women-led startups that are formally registered as Private Limited entities and have not previously received funding from PIEDS, thereby strengthening both business viability and founder capabilities across Bharat.

• Grant funding of up to ₹10 lakhs for women-led startups.
• Open to startups from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across India.
• Requires a woman co-founder with at least 51% equity.
• Provides comprehensive mentorship and incubation support from PIEDS at BITS Pilani.
• Application deadline is 28 February 2026.
• Program run by PIEDS in partnership with Oxyzo Financial Services.

To be considered for the Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program, applicants must meet specific criteria:

• The startup must be formally registered as a Private Limited company.
• A woman co-founder must hold at least 51% equity in the company.
• The startup's operations must be based in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 city within India.
• The applicant startup must not have previously received any funding from PIEDS.

Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program closed on 28 Feb 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

Recipients of the Saksham program receive comprehensive support designed to accelerate their growth:

• Financial Grant: Selected startups are awarded a grant of up to ₹10 lakhs. This non-dilutive funding supports various early-stage activities, from idea validation and prototype development to strengthening operations and go-to-market strategies.
• Mentorship and Capacity Building: The program provides structured mentorship and capacity-building support. This helps founders refine their business models, improve financial planning, enhance governance practices, and scale their ventures effectively.
• Incubation Support: Participants gain access to the institutional infrastructure and incubation facilities offered by PIEDS at BITS Pilani. This includes access to workspace and expert entrepreneurial guidance within a structured innovation ecosystem.

Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program is offered by PIEDS, an academic institution. It is delivered directly by PIEDS as a grant. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

The selection process for the Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program involves several stages:

• Application Submission: Interested startups must submit their applications through the official program link by the deadline of 28 February 2026.
• Initial Review: Applications undergo an initial review by the program teams at Oxyzo Financial Services and PIEDS.
• Eligibility Screening: Eligible startups are screened to ensure they comply with the specified criteria, including their entity structure, equity ownership, and geographic location.
• Further Evaluation: Shortlisted applicants may proceed to a more in-depth evaluation, assessing their business viability and overall fit with the program's objectives.
• Final Selection: The ultimate selection of participating startups is made by the organizing institutions, Oxyzo Financial Services and PIEDS.
• Onboarding: Startups that are finally selected are then onboarded into the Saksham program, where they receive their funding disbursement and begin to access the provided incubation support.

Before you apply to Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program, 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.

Saksham – Women Entrepreneurship Support Program is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹10L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.