NIDHI-PRAYAS (Promotion and Acceleration of Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs)

NIDHI-PRAYAS is a flagship program under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, aimed at supporting young innovators to turn their tech-based ideas into proof-of-concept and prototypes. The scheme focuses on hardware and product-based startups, providing a bridge between the idea stage and the commercialization stage. Managed through PRAYAS Centres across the country, it offers physical infrastructure, mentorship, and financial assistance to reduce the risks associated with hardware prototyping. The program specifically targets innovators who lack the resources to build initial models, ensuring that high-potential technological ideas do not fail due to a lack of early-stage funding. By fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem, it encourages indigenous manufacturing and technological self-reliance.