Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)

Objective:

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization.

This would enable these startups to graduate to a level where they will be able to raise investments from angel investors or venture capitalists or seek loans from commercial banks or financial institutions.

Features:

Year-round ‘Call for Applications’ for Startups

Sector-agnostic

No mandatory physical incubation

PAN-India startup programme

Startups can apply to 3 incubators simultaneously

Eligibility Criteria:

A startup, recognized by DPIIT, incorporated not more than 2 years ago at the time of application.
To get DPIIT-recognized, please visit https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/startupgov/startup-recognition-page.html

The startup must have a business idea to develop a product or a service with a market fit, viable commercialization, and scope of scaling.

The startup should be using technology in its core product or service, or business model, or distribution model, or methodology to solve the problem being targeted.

Preference would be given to startups creating innovative solutions in sectors such as social impact, waste management, water management, financial inclusion, education, agriculture, food processing, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, mobility, defence, space, railways, oil and gas, textiles, etc.

Startup should not have received more than Rs 10 lakh of monetary support under any other Central or State Government scheme. This does not include prize money from competitions and grand challenges, subsidized working space, founder monthly allowance, access to labs, or access to prototyping facility.

Shareholding by Indian promoters in the startup should be at least 51% at the time of application to the incubator for the scheme, as per Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI (ICDR) Regulations, 2018.

A startup applicant can avail seed support in the form of grant and debt/convertible debentures each once as per the guidelines of the scheme.