Startup Singam Season 3 — Tamil Nadu Startup Pitch Show on Star Vijay — Frequently Asked Questions

It is the third season of Startup Singam, a Tamil-language reality series in which founders from Tamil Nadu pitch their businesses on television. Casting for the season is open now through the official Startup Singam hub. Episodes are broadcast on Star Vijay and stream on Disney+ Hotstar, and the people doing the investing are a panel of 'Singams' — family offices, venture capitalists and experienced operators.

There is no fixed amount — the programme lists the funding as varying, because what founders receive is negotiated on the show rather than set in advance. Selected founders get funding offers and term-sheet discussions with the investor Singams on camera. For a sense of scale, Season 2 featured more than 75 startups across 26 episodes and was associated with a stated vision of ₹100+ Cr in funding for Tamil Nadu startups.

No. Applications run on a rolling, always-open basis, and Season 3 casting is currently open via the official Startup Singam hub. Since no cut-off date is published, it makes sense to apply as soon as your pitch summary is ready.

Founders building startups in Tamil Nadu — either headquartered in the state or with significant operations there. All stages qualify, from idea and MVP through early revenue and growth, and every sector is welcome, including fintech, D2C, SaaS, agritech, healthtech, deeptech, the creator economy and services.

The eligibility criteria published for Season 3 do not mention DPIIT recognition or MSME registration, so neither is listed as an entry requirement. The stated filters are a Tamil Nadu presence, any stage, any sector, and comfort with pitching in Tamil.

Yes — Tamil is the show's primary broadcast language, and founders need to be comfortable pitching in it. That is the one consistent language requirement in the eligibility criteria.

Startup Singam does not publish a fixed equity clause for participants. What it offers is funding offers and term-sheet discussions with the investor Singams on the show, which means any equity or other terms would be negotiated as part of the individual deal a founder agrees with those investors, rather than being a condition of applying.

The application on the Startup Singam hub asks for your company details along with a summary of your pitch. Shortlisted founders then go through a due-diligence call with the casting team, followed by pitch preparation with the show's mentors.

There are four steps. You apply on the hub with your company details and pitch summary; shortlisted applicants have a due-diligence call with the casting team; you then work on refining and rehearsing your pitch with the show's mentors; and finally, selected founders pitch on camera to the Singams at the Chennai studios.

The on-camera pitch is filmed at the show's studios in Chennai. Episodes air on Star Vijay and stream on Disney+ Hotstar.

Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.