NIDHI - SEED SUPPORT (SS) PROGRAM

National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) is an umbrella programme conceived and developed by the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India (GOI), for nurturing ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into successful startups through series of interventions and initiatives. The programme would work in line with the Startup India & Stand up India and focuses on building an innovation driven entrepreneurial ecosystem with an objective of national development through promoting problem solving innovative solutions with market potential to make India Atmanirbhar.


Eligibility of the Startup to apply for the Nidhi- Seed Support (SS) Program.

The eligibility criteria for a startup to apply for the Nidhi- Seed Support (SS) Program are as follows:

  • The applicant startup must be a company registered in India, preferably be a DPIIT registered/applied startup and should have completed a minimum 3 months of association with the incubator in its resident or virtual incubation program.

  • The applicant startup should have developed clarity on Unique Selling Preposition (USP) through customer validation and value proposition for its targeted customers.

  • This support is not meant for Indian Subsidiaries of MNCs/foreign companies. Persons holding Overseas Citizens of India (OCI). Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) would be considered as Indian citizens for the purpose of this scheme.

  • The shareholding by Indian promoters in the incubate startup should be at least 51%.

  • Preference will be given to startups, who have not availed any funding from any Government of India /State Govt. body.


Current startups under Nidhi SS Program.