AI/ML grants for startups
52 grants, prizes and schemes written for AI/ML startups. Grants open to every sector are on the main grants page.
- Open nowPrize
AI for Good Innovation Factory
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), AI for Good - Closes 10 Nov 2026Prize
Cars24 Grand Startup Challenge
Cars24, with Startup India and the Startup Policy Forum - Open all yearSubsidy
Databricks for Startups
Databricks - Open nowGrant
DRDO Technology Development Fund (TDF)
Ministry of Defence, executed by DRDO - Open all yearSubsidy
E2E Networks Startup Program (AI Explorer credits)
E2E Networks - Closes 13 Nov 2026Grant
ELEVATE NxT 2026 (Karnataka DeepTech Grant)
Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka (KITS) Karnataka - Open all yearSubsidy
ElevenLabs Startup Grants
ElevenLabs - Open all yearGrant plus other support
Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS)
MeitY Startup Hub, Ministry of Electronics and IT - Open all yearReimbursement
Goa Startup Skill Enhancement Scheme
Startup and IT Promotion Cell (SITPC), Department of IT, Government of Goa Goa - Open all yearMonthly allowance
Goa Women Entrepreneur Vitality Scheme
Startup and IT Promotion Cell (SITPC), Department of IT, Government of Goa Goa - Open all yearGrant
IIMA Ventures Women's Economic Empowerment Program
IIMA Ventures, supported by the Gates Foundation - Open all yearSubsidy
IndiaAI Compute Portal (Subsidised GPU Access)
IndiaAI Mission, Ministry of Electronics and IT - Open nowPrize
Maruti Suzuki Nurture
Maruti Suzuki Innovation with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park - Opening soonPrize
Microsoft Imagine Cup
Microsoft - Closes 14 Nov 2026Prize
NLDSL DigiTwin Grand Challenge 2026
NICDC Logistics Data Services (NLDSL), with NICDC and DPIIT Startup India - Open all yearGrant plus other support
NM-ICPS Technology Innovation Hubs: Startup and Fellowship Support
Department of Science and Technology (NM-ICPS) - Open all yearReimbursement
Odisha IT Policy Patent Registration Incentive
Electronics and IT Department, Government of Odisha (OCAC as nodal agency) Odisha - Open all yearReimbursement
Odisha IT Policy Quality and Security Certification Assistance
Electronics and IT Department, Government of Odisha (OCAC as nodal agency) Odisha - Open all yearReimbursement
Odisha IT Policy R&D Incentive for Software Products
Electronics and IT Department, Government of Odisha (OCAC as nodal agency) Odisha - Open all yearReimbursement
Support for International Patent Protection in Electronics and IT (SIP-EIT)
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) - Open all yearGrant plus other support
Tamil Nadu LangTech Startup Fund
Tamil Virtual Academy and StartupTN, Government of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu - Open all yearGrant
TCOE India: Prototyping, PoC, Validation and Pilot Support
Department of Telecommunications, through Telecom Centres of Excellence India - Open all yearGrant
UNICEF Venture Fund
UNICEF Venture Fund - ClosedPrize
5G Innovation Hackathon
Department of Telecommunications - ClosedGrant
AAI Start-up Policy: Funded Airport Solutions
Airports Authority of India (AAI), Ministry of Civil Aviation - ClosedGrant
Bharat Safety Road Safety and Mobility Innovation Program (AIC IIT Delhi and Honda)
AIC IIT Delhi Sonipat Innovation Foundation with Honda India Foundation - ClosedPrize
BHASHINI Grand Innovation Challenges
Digital India BHASHINI Division, Ministry of Electronics and IT - ClosedGrant
C-DOT Samarth Incubation Programme
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), Department of Telecommunications - ClosedSubsidy
Claude Startups (Anthropic)
Anthropic - ClosedGrant plus other support
COMET 5G Springboard 6
IIIT-B COMET Foundation (DST technology hub at IIIT Bangalore) - ClosedPrize
Cyber Security Grand Challenge
Ministry of Electronics and IT, with Data Security Council of India - Closes 23 Oct 2026Grant
Government First Initiative (Karnataka)
Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Government of Karnataka Karnataka - ClosedGrant
GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme (GAINS)
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Ministry of Defence - ClosedGrant
HDFC Bank Parivartan SINE Spark Program
SINE, IIT Bombay, with HDFC Bank Parivartan (CSR) - ClosedGrant
HDFC Bank Parivartan Start-up Grants
HDFC Bank Parivartan (CSR), through partner incubators - ClosedGrant
Honda Innovation Challenge 2.0
Honda Digital Innovation India, run with T-Hub - ClosedGrant
iDEX ADITI (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX)
Defence Innovation Organisation, Ministry of Defence - ClosedGrant
iDEX Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)
Defence Innovation Organisation, Ministry of Defence - ClosedGrant
IDFC FIRST Bank IGNITE (BITS Pilani PIEDS track)
PIEDS, BITS Pilani, with IDFC FIRST Bank CSR - ClosedGrant
IDFC FIRST Bank IGNITE (FITT IIT Delhi track)
FITT, IIT Delhi, with IDFC FIRST Bank CSR - ClosedGrant
India-Canada Collaborative Industrial R&D Programme
DST India via Technology Development Board, with NRC IRAP and Global Affairs Canada - ClosedGrant
India-Finland Joint Innovation Call
DST India via Technology Development Board, with Business Finland - ClosedGrant
India-Sweden Collaborative Industrial R&D Programme
DST India via Technology Development Board, with Vinnova - ClosedGrant plus other support
IndiaAI Innovation Challenge
IndiaAI Mission, Ministry of Electronics and IT - Closes 31 Oct 2026Prize
L&T Finance Pitch Point
L&T Finance Ltd - ClosedGrant
MG Developer Program and Grant
JSW MG Motor India, with Startup India - ClosedPrize
NXP India Tech Startup Challenge
NXP Semiconductors India, with Startup India - ClosedGrant
S&T-FIRST (Ministry of Coal)
Ministry of Coal, coordinated by CMPDI (Coal India) - ClosedGrant
Samsung Mobile Advance
Samsung R&D Institutes India (Bangalore and Noida) - ClosedPrize
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (India)
Samsung India, with incubation at FITT IIT Delhi - ClosedPrize
Tools Competition
The Learning Agency and Renaissance Philanthropy, with Walton Family Foundation, Google.org and others - ClosedGrant
Unnati AI 2.0 (Unnati se Pragati): Startup Acceleration
FITT IIT Delhi with Microsoft India (CSR)