Call for Applications: Innovators Connect – Tandem Programme 2025

Participants will work in teams to generate innovative ideas, undergo training for bringing research ideas to market and get exposure to start-up and innovation ecosystems of India and Germany.

Focus Areas 

• Participants should have their academic/research background in the area of:
  • Life Science
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Science
  • Engineering
  • Material Science
  • Engineering
  • Electronics and Telecommunications
  • Computer Science (including AI/ML)
  • Economics/Business Management
• Participants should have their lab to market ideas/start-up ideas/application of research in:
  • Biotechnology
  • Digital Healthcare Technology
  • Medical Technology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance/Drug Discovery
  • Clean Technology/Green Technology
  • Marine Technology
  • Agricultural Technology/Food Technology
  • Mobility
  • Space Technology
  • Semiconductors

What’s in it for you?

• Direct access to the innovation ecosystems of India and Germany
• Intensive, hands-on training with mentors from both countries
• Collaboration in international and interdisciplinary teams
• Opportunity to develop an idea ready for incubation
• Access to a network of mentors, funding agencies, VCs, and more
• Become a part of their Indo-German entrepreneurship network!

What does the programme cover?

• Mentoring
• Design Thinking
• Connecting with Subject Experts
• Industry Visits
• Pitching Sessions
• Workshops
• Training
• Information Sessions
• Networking
• Intercultural Training
• Connecting with VCs
• Start-up Exchange
• Pitch Training
• Teamwork
• Expert Talks and more

Funding Information

• DWIH New Delhi together with the incubators will cover the financial costs for the participants to a large extent.
  • Participants from Germany:
    • International air travel cost
    • Meals during the programme, wherever applicable
    • Accomodation in India during the entire programme
    • Visa fees
  • Participants from India:
    • Air travel in India for programme in cities other than the city of their institution
    • Accommodation for programme in cities other than the city of their institution
    • Travel and accommodation for the concluding programme
    • Meals during the programme, wherever applicable
• At the end of the programme, all teams will present the ideas they have worked on, to a jury comprising of start-up founders, industry experts and researchers. The winning team(s) get the opportunity (financially supported) to meet in Germany in 2026 to work on their ideas and participate in a leading start-up conference in Germany. Teams will get further mentoring and support to raise grants for product development from incubators in India and Germany.

Eligiblity Criteria

• Applicants from India:
  • PhD (ongoing or completed)/Postdocs (PhD not older than four years) with a lab to market idea and registered (full time) at any of the partner institutions of the programme OR
  • Early stage-start-up founders (less than two years of incorporation) with minimum bachelor’s degree and preferably a master’s degree incubated onsite at one of the partner institutions
• Applicants from Germany:
  • PhD (ongoing or completed)/Postdocs (PhD not older than four years) with a lab to market idea and currently affiliated with a university, university of applied sciences or a research institution in Germany OR
  • Early-stage start-up team members/ early-stage start-up founders (not more than 2 years of founding) with minimum bachelor’s degree and preferably a master’s degree affiliated with a university, university of applied sciences or a research institution in Germany

For more information, visit DWIH.