ELEVATE Karnataka — One-Time Grant up to ₹50 Lakh, Now in Four Tracks
The state's largest early-stage grant, twenty-five editions in
ELEVATE has run since 2017 under Mission Startup Karnataka and is administered by KITS. It gives an early-stage startup registered in Karnataka a one-time grant of up to ₹50 lakh to move from idea to proof of concept and validate it in the market. The money is non-dilutive and released against milestones the startup commits to.
The 25th edition, open from 25 May to 25 June 2026, was the first to run four tracks simultaneously: ELEVATE General for any Karnataka startup, ELEVATE Aspire for startups registered outside the Bengaluru Urban district, ELEVATE Unnati for SC/ST-owned startups, and ELEVATE Shakti for women-led startups. The Idea2PoC track for pre-prototype ideas continues within the programme.
What the grant provides
| Item | Position |
|---|---|
| Amount | Up to ₹50 lakh, one time; the jury fixes the figure against the milestone plan |
| Instrument | Grant-in-aid; no equity, no repayment |
| Release | Milestone-based tranches after a tripartite agreement with KITS and the startup's bank |
| Add-ons | Mentoring, incubation linkages, access to Karnataka's Centres of Excellence and state procurement pilots |
Department and jury
KITS runs the call and the screening; independent jury panels of investors, domain experts and academics hear pitches and recommend; the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T sanctions. Results are announced on the Mission Startup Karnataka portal.
Registered in Karnataka, early stage
- •Private limited company, LLP or registered partnership with its registered office in Karnataka
- •Early-stage: idea to proof of concept, or a prototype that needs validation
- •Registered on the Mission Startup Karnataka portal; DPIIT recognition preferred
- •Track conditions: Aspire — registered outside Bengaluru Urban; Unnati — majority SC/ST ownership; Shakti — majority women ownership and a woman in a leadership role
- •Not a previous ELEVATE grant recipient for the same product
What the application and due diligence need
- •Certificate of Incorporation, MoA/AoA or LLP agreement; proof of Karnataka registered office
- •DPIIT recognition and Mission Startup Karnataka registration
- •Shareholding pattern — decisive for the Unnati and Shakti tracks — with caste certificate or gender proof as applicable
- •Pitch deck; product or prototype evidence; customer validation if any
- •Milestone plan with a budget for the grant amount sought
- •Founder KYC and CVs; team composition
- •Bank account details and a board resolution for the tripartite agreement at sanction stage
- •Financial statements or bank statements for the operating period; declaration of other grants received
Questions founders ask about ELEVATE
ELEVATE has opened roughly once a year, most recently in May 2026. Registering on the Mission Startup Karnataka portal now means you are ready when the 26th call opens.
A government grant received for a specific purpose is generally treated as a capital receipt if applied to that purpose, but the position depends on the terms of the sanction. We advise on this at agreement stage.
No. Aspire is for startups registered outside Bengaluru Urban district. A Bengaluru company applies under General, Unnati or Shakti as applicable.
Yes. State and central grants stack. Declare the ELEVATE grant in any central application that asks for prior government support.