Grant · India

GENESIS (Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups)

MeitY's five-year, ₹490 crore scheme for technology startups in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, run through implementing incubators, with funding for ideation, pilots, investment rounds and deep tech.

Open · closes 29 Oct 2026 Run by MeitY Startup Hub, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India

Apply on the programme's site Programme website

Verified 18 October 2026 · From the programme's own pages

Terms

Funding: not published Early-stage support up to ₹10 lakh; pilot funding averaging ₹40 lakh, up to ₹50 lakh; investment support averaging ₹40 lakh, up to ₹50 lakh, with 1:1 private matching; deep-tech support up to ₹1 crore. The 2026 Pilot 2.0 call offers up to ₹40 lakh based on the verified cost of delivering the pilot order
Instrument: not published
Equity taken: not published Pilot 2.0 call: equity is allotted to the implementing incubator, capped at 3% of fully diluted post-money shareholding
Programme fee: not published
Duration: not published
Cohort size: not published
Cohorts: not published
Delivery: Remote
Stages: Idea, pre-seed, seed
Sectors: Sector-agnostic
Open to founders from: India
Perks: not published

Implemented by MeitY Startup Hub through about 50 implementing agencies, preferably in Tier-II and Tier-III cities; components are ideation (entrepreneur in residence), pilot, investment and deep-tech support. Pilot 2.0 disbursement may take 4-5 months from the call.

Application dates

Open · closes 29 Oct 2026Pilot 2.0 call via Venture Center, Pune

Every window we track
Cohort	Opens	Closes	Starts	Demo day
Pilot 2.0 call via Venture Center, Pune	not published	29 October 2026	not published	not published
Pilot 2.0 call via PIEDS, BITS Pilani	not published	30 October 2026	not published	not published

Who can apply

DPIIT-recognised startup
Beneficiary of a MeitY scheme or registered with MeitY Startup Hub
Indian promoters hold at least 51% of shares when applying to the incubator
Pilot 2.0 call: startups from Tier-II and Tier-III cities holding a pilot purchase or work order from a government body, PSU or large enterprise
Stage: idea, pre-seed, seed

What founders should check

Equity: Pilot 2.0 call: equity is allotted to the implementing incubator, capped at 3% of fully diluted post-money shareholding. Ask for the exact stake before you accept a place.
It does not publish a fee. Ask whether you pay for desks, services or the programme itself.
It runs remotely. Check the time zone of live sessions.
Applications are open until 29 October 2026. That is less than a month away, so start the form now.

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