Deadline: September 15, 2025
The ELEVATE Idea2PoC Grant-in-Aid Fund Scheme, launched by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, aims to identify and nurture innovative startups by providing early-stage funding, mentoring, and support for product development, market deployment, and scale-up.
The programme focuses on supporting startups that demonstrate innovative ideas, have strong potential for socio-economic impact, possess a robust and scalable business model, have capable and committed teams, and present a clear and well-planned budget allocation for their project.
ELEVATE provides a one-time grant of up to Rs. 50 Lakhs to encourage startups that require early-stage funding to develop prototypes, support market development, and scale their businesses. The programme is structured to support startups at multiple stages of growth, providing both financial and mentoring support.
The Idea2PoC Evaluation Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, includes representatives from industry and academia such as IIIT-B, ABLE, NASSCOM, STPI, IESA, ISBA, ABAI, and the Chairman of the Vision Group Startups. The committee evaluates startups at each stage and makes final decisions regarding shortlisting and grant allocation.
Eligibility criteria require startups to be registered or incorporated in Karnataka as a Private Limited Company, OPC, LLP, or Partnership Firm. The total turnover from incorporation must be less than INR 100 Crore, and the entity must be less than 10 years old at the cut-off date. Eligible startups should be working towards innovative products, processes, or scalable business models with high potential for employment generation or wealth creation. Ownership terms should remain unchanged during the course of the project.
The selection process evaluates startups on a total of 100 marks across five parameters: Novelty/Innovation (30 marks), Potential Socio-economic impact (20 marks), Strength of business model (30 marks), Team strength (10 marks), and Budgetary Allocation (10 marks).
The ELEVATE programme consists of four stages: online submission of applications, Stage 1 – Data Sufficiency & Eligibility, Stage 2 – Offline Pitching (for Bengaluru Urban applicants), Stage 3 – Multi-City Pitching (MCP), and Stage 4 – Grand Finale. Startups that win under this programme receive mentoring and incubation support at subsidized rates at government-supported incubation centres to aid in product development and validation.
For more information, visit Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Government of Karnataka.
