Scaleup Grant

The Scaleup Grant is a key initiative by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), the official agency of the Government of Kerala dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship. This program is specifically designed to support innovative, technology-driven startups that have already achieved significant market validation and are prepared to scale their operations. KSUM's broader mission is to cultivate a vibrant startup ecosystem in Kerala, promoting innovation, creating employment opportunities, and stimulating economic development.

This grant provides substantial financial assistance, offering up to ₹15 lakhs to eligible startups. The funds are disbursed in a structured manner, tied to the achievement of specific milestones and adherence to KSUM's guidelines and performance benchmarks. Startups that have previously received other grants from KSUM, such as the Idea, Productization, or Market Acceleration Grants, are still eligible to apply for the Scaleup Grant, provided they apply for the remaining admissible amount under this scheme.

The funding is strategically allocated to support crucial business expansion activities. It can be utilized for entering new geographical markets, enhancing branding and marketing efforts, implementing product feature improvements, and accelerating customer acquisition strategies to boost revenue growth. While the grant primarily supports marketing, business development, and customer acquisition, specific caps are applied to product enhancement activities to ensure optimal resource allocation for maximum impact.

• Financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakhs for scaling technology startups.
• Open to startups in Kerala with a valid KSUM Unique ID.
• Requires ₹10 lakhs revenue in 6 months or ₹30 lakhs external equity.
• Funds disbursed in milestone-based tranches, with 50% margin money required.
• Supports market expansion, branding, marketing, and customer acquisition.

The Scaleup Grant targets startups that have demonstrated significant potential and established a strong foundation for growth. Applicants must meet specific financial criteria, either by having generated ₹10 lakhs in revenue from their product within the last six months or by having secured a minimum of ₹30 lakhs through external equity investment. This ensures the program supports mature startups with validated business models and proven traction, indicating their readiness for expansion.

Eligible startups must possess an innovative, technology-based product. They are also required to hold a valid KSUM Unique ID, which confirms their recognition within Kerala's official startup ecosystem and facilitates access to support. The startup must be formally incorporated as a Private Limited Company, a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), or a One Person Company (OPC) with an active status from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), reflecting the need for professional legal structures essential for scaling and investment readiness.

Startups that have previously received other KSUM grants are eligible to apply, but only for the remaining amount under the Scaleup Grant scheme, promoting equitable distribution of support. Furthermore, a margin money contribution of 50% of the approved grant amount is required from the startup, demonstrating genuine commitment and shared responsibility in the scaling process.

Scaleup 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.

Recipients of the Scaleup Grant can receive financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakhs, which is disbursed in milestone-based tranches. These funds are designed to support various strategic business development areas.

Specifically, the grant can be utilized for:

• Expanding into new geographical markets.
• Strengthening branding and marketing initiatives.
• Implementing product feature enhancements (subject to specific caps).
• Accelerating customer acquisition strategies to drive revenue growth.

The grant's primary focus is on supporting marketing, business development, and customer acquisition efforts.

Scaleup Grant is offered by Kerala Startup Mission, a government body. As a government-backed grant, 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.

Before you apply to Scaleup Grant, keep these documents ready — note the program-specific requirements at the top:

• Certificate of incorporation showing your startup is registered as private limited and llp
• 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.

Scaleup Grant is best suited for revenue-stage startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹15L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.