NIDHI-PRAYAS Grant: Fueling Your Hardware Start-up from Idea to Prototype

The National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations - Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs (NIDHI-PRAYAS) is a flagship scheme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Designed to bridge the gap between a proof-of-concept and a prototype, this grant supports hardware-based innovations through financial aid and access to fabrication labs (PRAYAS Shalas).

What is this scheme?

NIDHI-PRAYAS is a pre-incubation program that provides a grant-in-aid to inventors and entrepreneurs to build prototypes for their hardware-based innovative ideas. The program focuses on reducing the financial risk for individual innovators during the high-risk early stages of product development, ensuring that viable hardware solutions don't fail due to lack of initial funds.

Who is eligible?

• Individual innovators or entrepreneurs with a technology-based idea.
• Student innovators or recent graduates aiming to build a physical product.
• Start-ups (as per DPIIT definition) not older than 7 years.
• The innovator must be a citizen of India with a valid government ID.
• Applicants must be associated with or ready to be incubated at a PRAYAS Centre (PC).
• Should not have received similar prototype funding from other government sources for the same idea.

How much money?

A maximum grant of up to ₹10 Lakhs per innovator or start-up for prototype development.

Documents needed

1. Aadhaar Card and PAN Card of the applicant.
2. Detailed Project Report (DPR) or Proposal including technical specifications.
3. Business registration certificate (if applying as a company).
4. Proof of address and bank account details.
5. Academic certificates (for student applicants).
6. Consent form/letter from the PRAYAS Centre (PC).

How to apply (step by step)

1. Identify a DST-recognized PRAYAS Centre (usually situated within TBI/Incubators) across India.
2. Download the application form from the specific PRAYAS Centre’s official website or the national NIDHI-PRAYAS portal.
3. Submit the complete proposal detailing the innovation, technical roadmap, and budget requirement.
4. Undergo a screening process by the Monitoring Committee of the PRAYAS Centre.
5. Present the idea/pitch before a Project Management Committee (PMC).
6. Upon selection, sign an agreement with the Host Institute/PRAYAS Centre.
7. Receive funds in installments based on project milestones and gain access to lab facilities.

Important dates

Conclusion

NIDHI-PRAYAS is a game-changer for hardware entrepreneurs in India, providing the necessary 'cushion' to experiment and fail fast or succeed with a solid prototype. If you have a hardware innovation that can solve real-world problems, this grant is your first step toward commercial success.