NIDHI PRAYAS (via FTBI, NIT Rourkela)
Offered by FTBI, NIT Rourkela
Overview
NIDHI PRAYAS is a prototype funding initiative supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, designed to help innovators convert ideas into commercially viable prototypes. It is administered by the Foundation for Technology and Business Incubation (FTBI) at NIT Rourkela, Odisha, providing up to Rs. 10 lakhs per innovator or startup over a prototype development window of 18 months.
Eligibility
- Individual innovators must be Indian citizens with valid government ID, at least 18 years old, with technical skills or background
- Startups must additionally be incorporated in India with minimum 51 percent Indian citizen equity, less than 7 years old, with annual turnover not exceeding Rs. 25 lakhs
- Project must be a technology or science-based innovation resulting in a physical product prototype (pure software, e-commerce, service solutions, or app-based projects are excluded)
- Priority technology areas are manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, clean-tech, energy, water, and Internet of Things
Funding Purpose
Permitted uses include R&D outsourcing and design engineering, raw materials and consumables, fabrication or synthesis of working models, business travel and event fees, and patent filing costs. Prohibited uses include salaries for grantees or their relatives, repaying existing loans, and personal accommodation or infrastructure creation.
Application Process
Applications are submitted via a Google Form linked on the FTBI website. Required documents include government-approved nationality proof, and for employed or student applicants, a No Objection Certificate from their employer/institution confirming that IP ownership vests with the innovator.
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.