GeM Startup Runway — Sell to Government Without Turnover, Experience or EMD

GeM Startup Runway, launched under the SWAYATT initiative (Startups, Women and Youth Advantage Through eTransactions), is a section of the Government e-Marketplace reserved for startups. Ministries, departments, PSUs and state agencies are the buyers. The startup lists a product or service; buyers order it directly or through bids on the platform.

Its significance is the three exemptions. Government tenders routinely demand three years of turnover, prior supply experience and an earnest money deposit. For DPIIT-recognised startups, all three are waived on GeM, which is why a company incorporated last year can win a purchase order this year.

• •Access to the full base of government buyers on GeM — every ministry, PSU and participating state department
• •Exemption from prior-turnover, prior-experience and EMD requirements on the strength of the DPIIT certificate
• •A dedicated Startup Runway storefront with higher visibility than the general catalogue
• •The ability to list a product with no existing GeM category, if it is unique in concept, design, process or functionality
• •Startup-specific sectors already defined on the platform: AI, robotics, agritech, cleantech, cybersecurity, edtech, health-tech, water-tech, assistive tech and more

GeM, a special purpose vehicle under the Department of Commerce, runs the marketplace and approves listings and new categories. Purchase decisions rest with the individual buying department, under the General Financial Rules that permit direct purchase up to set limits and bidding above them.

• •DPIIT-recognised startup registered as a seller or service provider on GeM
• •Product or service that fits an existing GeM category, or is unique enough to justify a new one
• •Valid GST registration (or exemption), PAN, and a bank account for GeM payments
• •Other innovative entities may list, but the three exemptions attach to the DPIIT certificate

• •DPIIT Certificate of Recognition
• •PAN, GSTIN, Certificate of Incorporation, Udyam certificate if registered as MSME
• •Aadhaar or PAN of the authorised signatory, with mobile linked for OTP
• •Cancelled cheque or bank certificate for the settlement account
• •Product specifications, images, brand and make details; test reports or certifications where the category requires them (BIS, CE, ISO)
• •For a new category: a note explaining the product's uniqueness and its intended government use case
• •Vendor assessment where the category mandates it (waived for some startup categories)