GRANT#1
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT (DEITY) / Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS)
- What you get:
- One-time Grant-in-Aid of up to INR 50 lakh, disbursed in phased tranches against milestones under a tripartite MoA (Startup-KITS-K-Tech Innovation Hub/CoE). INR 1,00,000 withheld until utilisation certificate and project completion report are submitted.
- Who can apply:
- Early-stage startups registered with KITS/Karnataka Startup Cell; Pvt Ltd/OPC/LLP/Partnership incorporated with a Karnataka address; founders/co-founders together must hold minimum 10% stake; if there is foreign shareholding, the Indian entity's share must exceed 50% with the Indian partner holding majority stake; applicant must not have been an ELEVATE beneficiary in the last 3 years.
How to apply →GRANT#2
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT with Department of Social Welfare / KITS
- What you get:
- Grant-in-aid support of up to INR 50 lakh, following the same funding structure, mentoring, incubation and market-access support as the ELEVATE scheme.
- Who can apply:
- Startups with SC/ST founders, meeting the same eligibility as the ELEVATE scheme and registered with KITS.
How to apply →GRANT#3
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- Grant-in-aid funding on the ELEVATE model, structured around at least one annual call for applications; specific quantum not detailed in source documents.
- Who can apply:
- Startups based in tier-2/tier-3 Karnataka cities (Beyond Bengaluru); general startup eligibility applies.
How to apply →GRANT#4
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- Monthly stipend of INR 25,000 for 12 months (INR 3,00,000 total per innovator), released via a Program Monitoring Partner under a tripartite agreement with KITS. Includes mentorship and incubation support at government-backed Innovation Hubs.
- Who can apply:
- Indian citizens domiciled in Karnataka; must have completed a 3- or 4-year science/engineering degree; not currently employed for remuneration; must not hold a stake in any other startup; must be 30 years or younger at application; must commit full-time to the idea for the 12-month program.
How to apply →GRANT#5
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT with partner government departments / KITS
- What you get:
- Phase 2A: up to 5 shortlisted startups receive INR 10 lakh each for a 3-6 month pilot. Phase 2B: 1-2 of those pilots shortlisted for further funding of up to INR 50 lakh for a 12-15 month full-scale deployment. Funding released in tranches, 50% on signing.
- Who can apply:
- Startups registered with KITS/Karnataka Startup Cell; previous winners of ELEVATE or Grand Challenges are not eligible to reapply. Applications respond to a specific published challenge statement.
How to apply →EQUITY#6
Active
Karnataka Information Technology Venture Capital Fund (KITVEN)
- What you get:
- Equity investment from the INR 100 crore KITVEN Fund-5; the fund's stake in any single investee is capped at 30%.
- Who can apply:
- Startups meeting the state's startup definition, whose products have completed proof-of-concept and are generating revenue; companies with commercially viable patents/IP are especially encouraged.
How to apply →EQUITY#7
Active
KITVEN / KITS
- What you get:
- Seed capital along with mentorship and access to investor networks (specific ticket size not disclosed in source documents).
- Who can apply:
- Growth-stage startups based in Beyond Bengaluru districts.
How to apply →GRANT#8
Active
KITS
- What you get:
- Up to 50% of total research project cost, capped at INR 1 crore, for the first 25 projects during the policy period. Funds disbursed in tranches against milestones under a signed MoA.
- Who can apply:
- A consortium of exactly three entities: a recognised academic/research institution, a KITS-registered startup, and an industry partner; all consortium partners must be based in Karnataka; project must be time-bound (typically 6-18 months); must not be receiving similar R&D funding from another state/central scheme for the same scope.
How to apply →MIXED#9
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT
- What you get:
- Facilitated access to corporate CSR funds, co-investment, mentorship from business leaders, market access support, fundraising assistance and startup event platforms; not a direct cash grant with a fixed amount.
- Who can apply:
- Startups across Karnataka seeking to be matched with corporate partners; general startup eligibility applies.
How to apply →INCUBATION#10
Active
KITS
- What you get:
- One-time capital grant of up to 50% of Fixed Cost Investment (excluding land and building), capped at INR 50 lakh, released in tranches on committee approval.
- Who can apply:
- Infrastructure developers or entities providing land/building/infrastructure for incubation in Karnataka; must be set up in Zone 1 or Zone 2 districts; facility must have commenced commercial operations during the policy period; a new incubator should ideally have 7,500 sq. ft. area or a minimum of 10 occupied seats.
How to apply →INCUBATION#11
Active
KITS
- What you get:
- One-time capital grant of 50% of Fixed Cost Investment (excluding land and building), capped at INR 25 lakh, in tranches on Approval Committee sanction.
- Who can apply:
- Existing incubators located outside Bengaluru Urban District, expanding capacity by at least 2,500 sq. ft. and/or a minimum of 5 additional seats; facility must have commenced commercial operations during the policy period.
How to apply →INCUBATION#12
Active
KITS (NAIN Implementing Agency)
- What you get:
- Each centre: up to INR 5 lakh per student project (max 10 projects/year over 3 years, ~INR 1.5 crore total) plus INR 12 lakh/year operational expenditure. The mapped PMU/anchor institute separately receives INR 10 lakh/year.
- Who can apply:
- Host Institution must be affiliated to a State University in Karnataka or be a deemed university located in Karnataka, outside Bengaluru Urban District; 35 centres reserved for Engineering, 15 for Biotechnology/Agritech/Medical/Pharmacy institutions.
How to apply →MARKET ACCESS#13
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT
- What you get:
- Exemption from Earnest Money Deposit; limited tender eligibility up to INR 50 lakh for technology products/solutions; public tenders must include a startup-inclusion plan with at least 6% evaluation weightage and 10% of contract value allotted to an involved startup.
- Who can apply:
- Startups registered with KITS; must separately register and get empanelled on the Karnataka Public Procurement Portal; empanelment valid for 3 years.
How to apply →INCUBATION#14
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT (with Central Government and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission)
- What you get:
- A structured 6-month acceleration program with mentorship, infrastructure support, market linkages and a closing investor demo day. Total program cost of INR 50 crore, of which the State Government contributes INR 20 crore.
- Who can apply:
- Growth-stage startups, particularly from outside Bengaluru Urban District; priority given to startups aligned to SDGs.
How to apply →MARKET ACCESS#15
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT
- What you get:
- Support exploring overseas tech/startup landscapes and stakeholder connections; under GIA-MAP, partial reimbursement of up to 80% (within region-specific ceilings) of eligible travel, accommodation and visa expenses for one representative per financial year.
- Who can apply:
- Karnataka-registered startups seeking international market entry support; GIA-MAP reimbursement limited to one representative per startup per financial year.
How to apply →GRANT#16
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- Total funding of INR 1 crore per year across two cohorts, providing individual grants of up to INR 4 lakh per selected innovator, plus incubation/acceleration support from assigned K-Tech Partners.
- Who can apply:
- Indian citizens domiciled in Karnataka; the innovation must not already be part of a government initiative and must not have received prior GoK/GoI funding; applicant needs Voter ID/Ration Card and proof of profession.
How to apply →INCUBATION#17
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- Grant-in-aid up to INR 5 crore over a maximum of 5 years. Under the linked WEscalate program, incubation grant of up to INR 20 lakh per cohort and acceleration grant of up to INR 30 lakh per cohort (including an INR 8.7 lakh deployment grant for the top 3 startups); 30 women-led startups supported per year across 2 cohorts.
- Who can apply:
- Registered entities with minimum 2 years' experience running entrepreneurship programs; women must hold at least 51% founder/co-founder stake; must demonstrate ability to onboard at least 50% women-led startups per cohort.
How to apply →GRANT#18
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- 50% reimbursement of Net State GST paid, capped at 100% of Fixed Capital Investment, available for 7 years from the date of commencement of commercial production.
- Who can apply:
- All KITS-registered startups operating in Karnataka, within the startup validity window (10 years/turnover under INR 200 crore, or 20 years/INR 300 crore for Deep Tech); must not have claimed this benefit under any other GoK/GoI policy.
How to apply →IP#19
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- 75% of actual patent-filing expenses reimbursed, capped at INR 15 lakh per year, up to 5 claims per year. 60% of the 75% reimbursed immediately on proof of filing; remaining 40% on verification.
- Who can apply:
- All KITS-registered startups in Karnataka; provisional patents and patents with a change of assignee are not eligible; up to 5 unique patent applications per startup per year.
How to apply →MARKET ACCESS#20
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- 40% reimbursement of total international-event participation costs, capped at INR 5 lakh per startup per year. Travel reimbursement limited to economy air travel plus a daily allowance of up to USD 100/day for up to 7 days.
- Who can apply:
- All KITS-registered startups in Karnataka; reimbursement limited to a maximum of 2 employees per startup and up to 2 international events per year.
How to apply →GRANT#21
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- 50% reimbursement of quality certification fees, with an overall ceiling of INR 6 lakh across a maximum of 5 industry-standard certifications during the policy period.
- Who can apply:
- All KITS-registered startups in Karnataka; claims must be submitted within one year of applying for certification; each certification requires a separate application.
How to apply →GRANT#22
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- INR 3,000 per employee per month reimbursed for the first two years of employment, for new jobs created, capped at INR 12 lakh per company during the policy period.
- Who can apply:
- KITS-registered startups that have not been operating for more than 3 years at the date of application; employer's PF/ESI contribution must be less than INR 21,000 per employee per month; employee must be on the company's payroll.
How to apply →GRANT#23
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- 40% reimbursement of cloud computing/storage expenses, up to INR 1 lakh per year, available once during the policy period.
- Who can apply:
- Startups within their first 5 years of incorporation, in the prototype/MVP/early-scaling stage; must disclose and avoid duplication if already receiving similar benefits from other government schemes.
How to apply →GRANT#24
Active
Department of Electronics, IT and BT / KITS
- What you get:
- Subsidy of up to INR 5,000 per month per startup for hiring a maximum of 3 interns for up to 6 months; can be availed three times during the policy period.
- Who can apply:
- All KITS-registered startups in Karnataka hiring interns aged 18-35; interns must not be receiving stipend under the Yuva Nidhi scheme; startup must pay a monthly stipend and issue a completion certificate.
How to apply →