DSIR PRISM — ₹2 Lakh to ₹50 Lakh Grants for Any Indian Innovator, No DPIIT Recognition Needed
The scheme for the innovator who is not yet a startup
PRISM is DSIR's successor to the Technopreneur Promotion Programme. Its distinguishing feature is who can apply: any Indian citizen with an innovative idea — a student, a mechanic, a researcher, a founder — whether or not a company exists. Support runs in phases: Phase I funds a prototype, Phase II funds development toward commercialisation, and a separate PRISM-R&D window funds technology solutions for MSME clusters.
Proposals are not sent to DSIR directly. They go through TePP Outreach cum Cluster Innovation Centres (TOCICs) at universities and national laboratories, which promote the scheme, screen proposals, coordinate evaluation and monitor supported projects; the PRISM Advisory and Screening Committee in Delhi takes funding decisions.
The phases
| Phase | Support | Share of project cost |
|---|---|---|
| Phase I, Category I | Up to ₹2 lakh | 90% |
| Phase I, Category II (prototype development) | Up to ₹20 lakh | 90% |
| Phase II (toward commercialisation) | Up to ₹50 lakh | 50% |
| PRISM-R&D (technology solutions for MSME clusters) | Up to ₹50 lakh | 50% |
- •Technical guidance and mentoring through the TOCIC
- •Support toward patenting and commercialisation
- •No equity; grants released in instalments against progress
DSIR, PASC and the TOCICs
TOCICs screen and recommend; the PRISM Advisory and Screening Committee at DSIR evaluates and approves; DSIR sanctions and releases funds through the TOCIC, which receives 10% of the grant for monitoring.
Open to individuals, startups and MSMEs
- •Any Indian citizen with an innovative idea to translate into a working prototype, model or process — including student innovators
- •Startups and MSMEs with technology or product innovations
- •For Phase II: a completed Phase I or an equivalent validated prototype, and ability to fund 50% of project cost
- •For PRISM-R&D: a technology solution addressing a defined MSME cluster need
- •DPIIT recognition is not required
What the TOCIC application needs
- •Aadhaar and PAN of the innovator; for entities, Certificate of Incorporation or Udyam certificate
- •Proposal in DSIR's format: idea, novelty, technical approach, prototype plan, outcomes
- •Budget with the applicant's contribution (10% in Phase I, 50% in Phase II)
- •Prior art search or patent status
- •CVs of the innovator and team; any collaborating institution's letter
- •For Phase II: Phase I completion report and prototype validation data
- •Declaration of other government funding for the same idea
Questions innovators ask about PRISM
Yes. Student innovators are expressly eligible for Phase I through a TOCIC, usually one at or near your institution.
Yes — up to ₹20 lakh or 90% of the approved project cost, whichever is lower. The applicant funds the remaining 10%.
If you already have a validated prototype and can fund half the project, a TOCIC may forward a Phase II proposal; most applicants come through Phase I.
Both fund prototypes and accept individuals. PRAYAS runs through incubators with ₹20–40 lakh ceilings; PRISM runs through TOCICs with a lower Phase I ceiling but a ₹50 lakh Phase II and an MSME-cluster window.