NIDHI-SSP — Seed Support of up to ₹1 Crore Through DST Incubators
The step after the prototype
NIDHI-SSP exists to carry an incubated startup from a working prototype to a product in the market. DST gives a corpus to its NIDHI Technology Business Incubators and Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Parks; each incubator's Seed Support Management Committee selects startups and invests. Because the money is deployed by the incubator, the instrument, ticket and terms differ from one TBI to another.
Most incubators invest between ₹20 lakh and ₹50 lakh, usually through compulsorily convertible debentures or another equity-linked instrument. The scheme ceiling is ₹1 crore, reached only for capital-intensive products with a clear commercialisation path.
What the money can be used for
- •Product development and engineering
- •Testing, trials, certifications and regulatory approvals
- •Test marketing and early customer pilots
- •Professional consultancy — including bringing in faculty or domain experts
- •IP filing and prosecution
- •Any other head the Seed Support Management Committee approves
| Item | Position |
|---|---|
| Ceiling | ₹1 crore per startup, subject to the TBI's own guidelines |
| Instrument | CCD, equity, equity-linked or debt — set by the incubator |
| Disbursement | Tranches against milestones agreed with the committee |
| Mentoring | Structured, through the host institution |
Department and incubators
DST funds and audits the programme; each participating TBI or STEP runs a Seed Support Management Committee with external experts that takes the investment decision. In 2026, active SSP rounds have been run by SINE at IIT Bombay, IKP EDEN, PDEU's incubator, Venture Studio at Ahmedabad University, CIBA, IIM Kozhikode LIVE and others, each with its own deadline.
Incubation is the gate
- •DPIIT-recognised startup
- •At least three months' residency at the NIDHI TBI or STEP granting the support
- •Indian promoters hold at least 51% of the shareholding
- •A product beyond proof of concept, with a credible path to market
- •Registered private limited company; LLPs are accepted by some TBIs but equity instruments favour a company
What the Seed Support Management Committee reviews
- •Certificate of Incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MoA/AoA, shareholding pattern
- •Incubation agreement and proof of three months' residency
- •Business plan with market analysis, go-to-market and revenue model
- •Product status: prototype validation results, test reports, pilots run
- •Use-of-funds plan with milestones and a budget by head
- •Financial statements to date and three-year projections
- •Valuation basis for the proposed instrument; existing investor agreements if any
- •Founder KYC, team CVs, and IP filings
Questions founders ask about NIDHI-SSP
No. It is an investment by the incubator, usually through convertible debentures. The incubator becomes a minority holder if the instrument converts.
No. Three months of residency at the TBI is a condition. Join the incubator first; several allow virtual incubation to count.
BIRAC SEED is biotech-only, capped at ₹30 lakh, and runs through BioNEST incubators. NIDHI-SSP is sector-agnostic with a higher ceiling and runs through DST's TBIs.
Yes, and it is the natural sequence. PRAYAS funds the prototype; SSP funds taking it to market.