In a major effort towards strengthening India’s deep-tech and data-driven innovation ecosystem, the Indian Institute of Technology-BHU, Varanasi, through its I-DAPT Hub Foundation, has announced the release of approximately ₹5 crore in grants to promising tech startups and cutting-edge research projects. It is one of the most ambitious funding programs in the region and will allow early-stage innovators to turn high-potential ideas into scalable solutions across key national priority sectors.
The funding will be used to support 34 innovations in total: 22 startups and 12 research projects that were selected through competitive application rounds that took place earlier in the year. The I-DAPT Hub was established under NM-ICPS, with a focus on Data Analytics and Predictive Technologies- areas that form the backbone of modern transformation in industries like agriculture, health care, defence, energy, and mobility.
Strengthening India’s Innovation Backbone
The Startup Incubation Programme, launched by I-DAPT in July 2025, received an overwhelming response with 136 applications from founders and innovators across the country. Following several rounds of selection based on their commercial viability, technological depth, and impact on society, the incubator has selected 22 startups for grant support. These startups are building solutions in areas such as drone technology, precision agriculture, AI-powered healthcare tools, cybersecurity, fintech, and smart infrastructure.
In parallel, the Hub called for “Research Proposals” and received 21 submissions from which 12 research teams have been selected. The goal here is academic innovation of high impact, stimulating research that can be translated into products, patents, and collaborations with industry. Taken altogether, these projects represent the commitment of the Hub to fostering both entrepreneurship and academic excellence.
Increased Funding for Future Cohorts
A sign of the growing ambition of the programme, the I-DAPT Hub has announced that for the next incubation cohort, launched on November 12, 2025, startups may receive up to ₹1 crore each in financial support. This is a significant increase from earlier cycles and in line with India’s larger mission to create a deep-tech ecosystem that can compete with the best in the world.
Such increased support is crucial at a time when deep-tech startups have to go through longer development cycles, capital-intensive prototyping requirements, and infrastructure-heavy R&D requirements. Grants help reduce the high initial risk by providing runway for founders to iterate on their prototypes, validate markets, and prepare for institutional or venture capital investment.
A Mission Aligned with National Priorities
The sectoral focus of the programme echoes the country’s priority areas: agriculture, health, defence, telecommunications, power systems, finance, education, and drones. All these sectors are being transformed rapidly, driven by data-centric technologies and automation. Investing in research and entrepreneurs solving challenges in these domains, IIT-BHU is at the forefront in building India’s self-reliance in emerging technologies.
The initiative is also in line with national missions such as Make in India, Viksit Bharat, Atma Nirbhar Bharat, and the push for indigenous innovation capacity via the Department of Science and Technology. IIT-BHU’s deep-tech incubation infrastructure ensures more than just capital for selected startups; these startups get access to advanced labs, mentorship by leading professors, connections with industry partners, and a strong branding advantage.
Impact on Startups and the Broader Ecosystem
Funding for a startup from a recognized institution like IIT-BHU brings immense credibility. It positions them better for further rounds of investment, strengthens their story to acquire customers, and provides a route for pilot deployments within the institutional and industry networks. For research teams, the grants serve as foundational support that can elevate promising innovations into nationally and globally recognized contributions.
The initiative also fortifies the Uttar Pradesh innovation ecosystem. Varanasi and surrounding regions are emerging as growing deep-tech talent hotspots, nourished by supportive policies of the state government and institutions such as IIT-BHU, IIT-Kanpur, and various incubation centres under the Startup India mission.
Paving the Way for India’s Deep-Tech Future Programs like the I-DAPT grant at IIT-BHU are part of the vital infrastructure needed for India’s journey to the top of the global technology and innovation ladder. The Hub empowers both startups and academia-based researchers, creating a strong pipeline of innovators who can solve key challenges facing the country through data-driven, sustainable, and scalable solutions. IIT-BHU’s initiative, with increased funding commitments and strong alignment to national technological goals, forms a promising step toward shaping the next decade of India’s deep-tech revolution.
