This roundup was accurate the week it was written and the deadlines in it have since passed. For what is actually open, see everything closing in the next 60 days, which is regenerated from the catalog rather than written once.
Why most startup grants do not "close"
Chasing a deadline is a habit borrowed from foreign grant portals, where a program opens, takes applications for a few weeks, and shuts. Most of India's flagship startup grants do not work that way. They stay open through approved incubators or on a rolling call, and they refresh their budgets each year. So the useful question is not "what closes this month," it is "what is open, and which one fits me." That is the list.
SISFS, closed to new applications
The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme does not run all year, and we had that wrong here. Its portal stopped taking new startup applications on 31 May 2026, a month before this post, and no new call has been announced. For seed money now, see the programmes closing in the next 60 days, regenerated weekly from the catalog, or NIDHI Prayas and the state schemes below. Our SISFS guide explains the closure.
NIDHI Prayas, up to Rs 20 lakh for a prototype
If you are building hardware, Prayas pays for the first build. It is for physical products, not apps, and you apply through a PRAYAS centre. Centres open their own intake windows through the year, so pick the one nearest you and check its current call. See our NIDHI Prayas guide.
Kerala Startup Mission grants
KSUM runs an Idea Grant, a Productisation Grant, and an Innovation Grant on a rolling basis for Kerala-based startups, plus patent reimbursement. If you are registered in Kerala, these are among the most accessible grants in the country. See our Kerala guide.
Karnataka Elevate
This is the exception to the rolling rule. The Idea2PoC grant of up to Rs 50 lakh runs as an annual competitive call, so it does have a real window. If you are in Karnataka with a proof of concept to build, watch for the next round and prepare early. See our Karnataka guide.
MSME credit through CGTMSE
Not a grant, but worth knowing while you wait on one: a CGTMSE-backed loan gets you working capital with no collateral. Register on Udyam first. See our MSME guide.
Find your match
See which of these you actually qualify for.
Incubateer scores your startup against every grant in the catalog and tells you honestly which ones fit, and it flags the few that really do have a deadline. Two minutes to set up.
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