Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

SISFS puts capital into startups at the stage where angel investors and banks will not — before there is a product to show. Money is not paid by DPIIT directly; it is routed through incubators that DPIIT has approved, and each incubator runs its own selection committee. That makes the choice of incubator as important as the quality of the application.

Implementing agency: Approved incubators

1. 1

   Confirm eligibility before you spend a day on the application

   Entity under 2 years old, DPIIT-recognised, ₹10 lakh cap on prior central/state funding not breached, 51%+ Indian promoter holding. A breach on any one of these is fatal and is not discovered kindly at committee stage.

2. 2

   Shortlist three to five incubators that match your sector

   The Seed Fund portal lists every approved incubator with its sector focus and remaining corpus. You may apply to up to three. An agritech application sitting with a fintech-heavy incubator dies quietly — sector fit is the single biggest lever on outcome.

3. 3

   Build the application pack

   Problem, solution and why it is technology-led; market size with a defensible source; traction to date; the milestone plan you want funded; and financial projections that a CA will stand behind. Attach the deck and product evidence.

4. 4

   Submit on seedfund.startupindia.gov.in

   Create the startup profile, select your incubators and upload the pack. The application is visible to each selected incubator separately and each evaluates on its own calendar.

5. 5

   Clear the incubator's evaluation and interview

   Expect a screening round, then a pitch to the Incubator Seed Management Committee. Prepare for questions on unit economics, use of funds and why the milestone plan is achievable in the sanctioned period.

6. 6

   Sign, draw and report

   On selection you sign a funding agreement with milestones. Money is released tranche-wise against deliverables, and utilisation certificates are due at each milestone. Reporting failures stall tranche two more often than performance does.