NIDHI-EIR support recipient should fulfil all the following requirements

• Should be an Indian Citizen
• Should have completed minimum 4 years of formal full time undergraduate/post graduate education towards one or more degree programme.
• Should be first generation innovative entrepreneur committed to explore a business idea and has no prior source of income.
• Should have clear intention of perusing the business idea and setting up a start up to carry it forward and should demonstrate his/her ability to build a scalable technology business startup.
• Is not a promoter or significant (>10%) share holder / beneficiary of another company at the time of applying for and receiving the grant approval.
• Is expected to pursue the entrepreneurial aspirations full time. NIDHI-EIR cannot be concurrent with any other remuneration or fellowship.
• Should be willing to be registered for the pre-incubation or incubation program at the Programme Executing Partner – TBI for the entire duration of NIDHI-EIR support.

The program shall be executed at selected Technology Business Incubator (TBI). These incubators shall be approved by NSTEDB to serve as Programme Executing Partners operating the NSTEDB's EIR program.

Programme Executing Partner – TBI will

• Operate the program to increase their pipeline of young entrepreneurs pursuing technology idea.
• Follow an appropriate mechanism to select the NIDHI-EIRs
• Periodically review the progress or NIDHI-EIRs.
• Terminate the support to non-performing NIDHI-EIRs even before completion of 12 months with intimation to PIP/NSTEDB.
• Submit periodical report, annual Utilization Certificates to Program Implementation Partner (PIP)/NSTEDB as may be required.
• Maintain the latest data on the status of the program on the portal as per the instruction provided by the PIP/NSTEDB.

Venture Center is the PIP for NIDHI-EIR

The PIP shall be responsible for overall management of the programme. PIP will

• Invite proposals from qualifying incubators, organise an evaluation process via PMC.
• Conduct Project Monitoring Committee(PMC), constituted by NSTEDB, with a mandate for selection of the incubators as well as the periodical review of the progress of the programme and suggest mid-course corrections, if required.
• Submit minutes of the PMC, progress reports and annual utilisation certificates to NSTEDB in a timely manner.
• The PIP shall also be responsible for tracking the programme and maintaining data on the programme via an online portal.

• Preference shall be given for
  • Technology business ideas with larger technology uncertainties and/ or long gestation periods,
  • Technology business ideas leveraging technology or IP from publicly funded research or academic organizations,
  • Technology business ideas with considerable potential for social impact.
• Entrepreneurs pursuing business ideas with no or marginal technology innovation or those with very short journey (i.e less than 6 months) to commercialization are discouraged to apply.

NIDHI-EIR support aspirant should submit the application to a PEP of his choice.

• Duely filled application form
• Formal business plan for the idea they intend to pursue
• Business presentation including the investment proposal
• Proof of citizenship (copy of passport)

• After the receipt of proposals, Programme Executing Partner – TBI will check the eligibility of each applicant.
• Applicants who are eligible will then be scrutinised by the expert committee at each Programme Executing Partner – TBI based on certain qualifying criteria’s to select the final recipients of NIDHI-EIR support.

• The duration of support will not be more than 12 months
• If NIDHI-EIR recipient raises funding or investments for their business ideas/ potential start ups, the grant support shall be discontinued from the date of receipt of the first tranche of funds
• Programme Executing Partner – TBI may terminate the support to non-performing NIDHI-EIR receipient even before completion of 12 months with intimation to Programme Implementation Partner /NSTEDB.

Support will include:

• The NIDHI-EIR support recipient will be eligible for grant maximum of Rs.30,000/- per month with a minimum level of Rs.10,000/- per month for a period of 12 months. If NIDHI-EIR recipient raises funding or investments for their business ideas/ potential start ups, the grant support shall be discontinued from the date of receipt of the first tranche of funds.
• As an NIDHI-EIR recipient, an entrepreneur gets office space, administrative support and a stipend to establish/make the most of their ideas and turn innovative breakthroughs into viable businesses. Programme Executing Partner – TBI may charge NIDHI-EIR recipient for providing pre-incubation or resident incubation services.
• Programme Executing Partner – TBI shall guide and mentor the NIDHI-EIR recipient in business planning and execution.

If you need to know more about our Programme Executing Partners – TBI, please visit their website or contact them.

You may not be an incubatee at the time of application but after receiving NIDHI-EIR support will have to be incubated with the Programme Executing Partner – TBI.

Absolutely, we maintain confidentiality of all the proposals we receive under different schemes. All third party reviewers sign a non disclosure agreement and no conflict agreement before viewing the proposals.

You can not apply again if you have received NIDHI-EIR support once. However you can reapply if your previous application was not successful.

Yes, but only one will be finally provided NIDHI-EIR support if selected