DST NIDHI-EIR (via CIE, IIIT Hyderabad)
Offered by CIE, IIIT Hyderabad
Overview
The DST NIDHI Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program at CIE, IIIT Hyderabad is a co-creation program that enables entrepreneurs with a deep tech product idea to leverage research output from IIIT Hyderabad labs to build startups with social or commercial applications. It is operated by CIE, IIIT Hyderabad with support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the NIDHI initiative. Selected entrepreneurs are hosted at the centre and given a monthly fellowship plus access to maker labs, strategy guidance, acceleration support and research collaboration opportunities with the institute's labs.
Eligibility
- Minimum 4 years of full time undergraduate/postgraduate education in science or engineering, or a 3 year degree plus 2 years of relevant work experience
- Deep tech solution powered by AI/ML, computer vision, or robotics
- No established company at the time of applying
- Full time commitment required, no concurrent employment or fellowships
Funding Purpose
The program pays a monthly fellowship of Rs. 30,000 to support the entrepreneur while they work full time on validating and building their deep tech idea at CIE. Once the entrepreneur hits agreed milestones, seed funding of up to Rs. 25 lakhs becomes available to take the product from validated concept toward a fundable startup.
Application Process
Applicants first check eligibility on the affiliated nidhi-eir.in portal, then submit an application through the forms provided by CIE, IIIT Hyderabad, moving through an initial screening stage, shortlisting interviews, and finally selection and onboarding. Contact: nirupa.vijaykumar@cie.iiit.ac.in.
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.