Question 1

What is ZeedFund?

Accepted Answer

ZeedFund is one platform that helps Indian founders find the right funding option at the right time. Government schemes, incubators, accelerators, and investors, all in one verified, searchable place.

Question 2

What is a grant, debt, and equity?

Accepted Answer

A grant is money you keep, no repayment, no ownership given up, usually tied to milestones. Debt is a loan, repaid with interest regardless of how the business performs. Equity means an investor backs you with capital in exchange for a stake in your company. ZeedFund covers all three, plus incubation, accelerator, and competition funding, across startups, MSMEs, and social enterprises alike.

Question 3

What is a VC, angel investor, or family office?

Accepted Answer

A VC (venture capital firm) invests pooled money from other investors into startups in exchange for equity, usually from Series A onward. An angel investor is a single individual investing their own money, typically smaller and earlier, often the first outside capital a startup raises. A family office manages one wealthy family's money and sometimes backs startups directly, similar to an angel but with more capital behind it. All three take an equity stake in return for capital, unlike a grant or a loan.

Question 4

Does ZeedFund submit or process applications?

Accepted Answer

No. ZeedFund is an independent discovery platform, not a government body or incubator. Every listing links straight to the scheme or investor's own official channel, where the actual application takes place.

Question 5

Do I need DPIIT recognition before I apply?

Accepted Answer

Not always, but it is the most common prerequisite across Indian government schemes and incubator programmes. It is free and usually takes a couple of weeks, worth securing early rather than discovering it is required after you have already found the right scheme. Our User Guide walks through this and the other paperwork most schemes expect.

Question 6

Is a grant repayable, or can I use it however I want?

Accepted Answer

Grants generally do not need to be repaid, but they are rarely unrestricted cash. Most are released against milestones and can only be spent on what the scheme approved, prototyping, equipment, salaries, trials, and similar. Read a scheme's fund utilisation conditions, not just its headline amount, before you count on it.

Question 7

What does "equity free" funding actually mean?

Accepted Answer

Funding that does not cost you any ownership, mainly grants and most debt schemes, as opposed to equity investment where an investor takes a stake in return for capital. Filter for equity free on ZeedFund to see exactly that subset.

Question 8

I don't know what I qualify for, where do I start?

Accepted Answer

Start with the search bar or the filters (stage, sector, state, funding type), or read the User Guide for what most schemes expect before you apply. The right funding is out there, our blog breaks down individual schemes in depth, one guide at a time, so finding it does not have to be a guessing game.

Question 9

Are you affiliated with these incubators or the government?

Accepted Answer

No. We independently research and verify publicly available scheme and investor information. We are not paid by, and do not represent, any organisation or investor listed on the platform.

Find the Right Funding
for Your Startup

Funding Opportunities

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (via ASPIRE, University of Hyderabad)

SPRINT (via iHub-AWaDH, IIT Ropar)

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (via Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre)

Kotak BizLabs Accelerator Programme (via IIM Calcutta Innovation Park)

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (via IIM Udaipur Incubation Centre)

NIDHI iTBI-DST Ignition Grant (via DTU Innovation and Incubation Foundation)

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (via TIDES Business Incubator, IIT Roorkee)

NIDHI PRAYAS (via FTBI, NIT Rourkela)

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (via PDEU Innovation and Incubation Centre)

Accelerator Program for Biomaterials (via AIC JKLU)

IIITB-IC TIDE 2.0 Fund (via IIIT Bangalore Innovation Centre)

Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP)

See What's on Our Blog

DLI: A Complete Guide to India's Design Linked Incentive Scheme for Semiconductors

MAHIR: A Complete Guide to India's Power Sector Innovation Mission

S&T PRISM: A Complete Guide to India's Mining and Mineral Innovation Grant

GREAT: A Complete Guide to India's Technical Textiles Startup Grant Scheme

Questions, answered

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