Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS)
Offered by Startup India (DPIIT)
Overview
The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) is a Government of India scheme, established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), that provides credit guarantees against loans extended by Member Institutions to eligible DPIIT-recognized startups. The National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) acts as the trustee, issuing guarantees to lending institutions rather than directly to startups, enabling recognized startups to access collateral-free debt funding.
Eligibility
- Borrower must be a DPIIT-recognized startup
- Must be current on all lending obligations, not classified as a Non-Performing Asset
- Must be certified as eligible by the lending institution
- Eligible lenders include Scheduled Commercial Banks, NBFCs with a BBB+ credit rating and minimum 100 crore rupee net worth, and SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds
Funding Purpose
The scheme guarantees various debt instruments, including venture debt, working capital, subordinated debt, debentures, and convertible debt, up to a maximum loan amount of 20 crore rupees per borrower, enabling startups to raise debt financing without pledging collateral.
Application Process
Startups apply through the Jan Samarth Portal, directly with member banks (such as Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank), or at physical branches of eligible lending institutions. Guarantee coverage is transaction-based at 85% for loans up to 10 crore rupees and 75% for larger amounts, or umbrella-based depending on the structure chosen by the lender.
How to Apply
- 1Click "Apply Now" above and submit your application directly on the official page.
- 2The offering organisation screens applications against its own eligibility criteria.
- 3Shortlisted applicants may be invited to a pitch or interview round.
- 4The final decision rests solely with the offering organisation.
- 5There is no guarantee of funding at any stage.
Before You Apply
- ZeedFund is an independent tracker, not the offering organisation or a funding body.
- Verify current eligibility, funding amount, and deadline on the official page before applying. Details can change after we last verified them.
- Once you apply, all follow-up (screening updates, interview or pitch invites, and the final decision) comes directly from the facilitator, incubator, or investor, never from ZeedFund. Check their application portal or email yourself for status updates; we won't have visibility into it.