IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITM IC) - Seed Grant

IITM IC offers a seed grant and access to a larger fund, alongside world-class lab infrastructure for hardware, biotech, and energy startups. IITM Incubation Cell, founded in 2013 as a Section 8 company and the nodal incubator of IIT Madras, has grown into one of India's largest deep-tech startup hubs, having crossed the 500-startup milestone across hardware, biotech, energy and other R&D-intensive fields. Because the ₹20 lakh seed grant is paired with access to a larger IITM-linked fund pool and the institute's specialised labs, the program specifically favours startups whose technology genuinely requires wet labs, cleanrooms, or heavy testing infrastructure rather than software-only ventures, which is why relocation to Chennai and DPIIT recognition are both required for consideration.