TCOE India Prototype, PoC & Pilot Funding — ₹50L Grant

TCOE India, working alongside the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), runs a funding window aimed at the riskiest middle stretch of telecom and ICT innovation — the point where a working prototype has to be proven inside a real network before anyone will buy it. It operates under the Technology Development & Investment Promotion Scheme and gives out grant-in-aid rather than investment, so founders keep full ownership of their company.

The gap it addresses is familiar to most hardware and deep-tech teams. A prototype may function perfectly on a bench, yet the next step — integrating with operational telecom or industry systems, running a pilot on live infrastructure, and demonstrating deployment readiness — costs money that early-stage companies rarely have. Without that proof, commercial conversations stall and promising technology never reaches the market.

This programme pays for precisely those activities. Support covers prototyping, proof-of-concept development, rigorous validation and pilot deployment of telecom and ICT solutions inside live public or private telecom networks.

National priorities shape who and what gets backed: indigenous technology in 5G, 6G, cybersecurity and rural connectivity. Solutions emerging from 5G Labs that still need to be tested and deployed in active network environments are a particular focus. By funding the validation and pilot phase, the scheme is designed to shorten the distance between a working idea and commercial adoption.

• Grants of up to ₹50 lakh per pilot project, with no equity taken
• Covers prototyping, PoC development, validation and pilot deployment
• Applicant must fund at least 20% of the total project cost
• Open to DPIIT-recognised startups and Udyam-registered MSMEs
• Solutions must be at TRL 5-8, with a working prototype already in hand
• Pilots run in live telecom, industry or institutional test networks

Two categories of organisation can apply, and both must be Indian-owned and controlled:

• A startup recognised by DPIIT, or
• An MSME registered on the Udyam Registration Portal.

Beyond the entity requirement, the technical bar matters just as much. You must already hold a working prototype of the solution you are proposing, and that solution should sit at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 to 8 — a validated prototype through to a pilot-ready system.

Your application also needs a clear plan for how the pilot will be deployed and tested. Attaching a consent letter from an identified industry or TSP partner is preferred, though not mandatory.

TCOE India Prototype, PoC & Pilot Funding — ₹50L Grant is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

TCOE India Prototype, PoC & Pilot Funding — ₹50L 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.

A single pilot project can receive up to ₹50,00,000 (Rupees Fifty Lakh only) as grant-in-aid, and because it is a grant, no equity or ownership stake is taken in your company.

Support is capped at 80% of the approved eligible expenditure, so you need to bring in at least 20% of the total project cost yourself. Reimbursement is restricted to expenditure you have actually incurred.

Eligible heads of spending include:

• Deployment and integration in live telecom networks
• Equipment and software procurement
• Testing, monitoring and validation
• Network usage charges
• Operational costs
• Certification

On top of the money, grantees get the chance to test their solution in live telecom networks, help with integrating into industry systems, and specific assistance for solutions originating in 5G Labs — all of which speed up the route from validation to commercialisation.

TCOE India Prototype, PoC & Pilot Funding — ₹50L Grant is offered by Telecom Centres of Excellence India (TCOE India), 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.

Selection happens in four stages.

Preliminary screening. TCOE India, in its role as the implementing agency, reviews every application first. This check covers eligibility, whether the submitted documents are complete, the technical relevance of the proposal, and how well it fits the programme's objectives.

Technical evaluation by the Review Committee. Proposals that clear the first screen go to a dedicated Review Committee co-chaired by the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). Members include representatives from DoT, TEC, LSA units, TSDSI, TSPs and industry experts. The committee judges technical merit, innovation, feasibility, compliance with the TRL 5-8 requirement, readiness for deployment and integration, strategic relevance to national priorities, scalability, commercial potential and financial viability.

DoT recommendation and approval. Only proposals with a positive recommendation from the Review Committee move forward to the Department of Telecommunications. An Empowered Committee at DoT examines them and passes its own recommendations to the Competent Authority. Final approval of financial assistance is granted case by case, subject to funds being available, through the Integrated Finance Division (IFD).

Agreement execution. Once DoT approves, the successful grantee signs a formal agreement with TCOE India setting out the terms of the financial support and how the project will be implemented.

Before you apply to TCOE India Prototype, PoC & Pilot Funding — ₹50L Grant, 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.

TCOE India Prototype, PoC & Pilot Funding — ₹50L Grant is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹50L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.