KSUM Innovation Grants — Idea ₹3 Lakh, Productisation ₹7 Lakh, Scale-up ₹15 Lakh, R&D ₹30 Lakh
A grant for each stage, from idea to scale
Kerala Startup Mission is the state's nodal agency for startups, and its Innovation Grant scheme is the most systematically staged of any state programme. Rather than one seed grant, KSUM offers a sequence: an Idea Grant to reach a prototype, a Productisation Grant to turn the prototype into a product with early revenue, a Market Acceleration Grant to grow that revenue, a Scale-up Grant once traction is proven, and a separate R&D Grant for hardware and deep-tech startups with an IP-backed prototype.
Registration with KSUM — a Unique ID — is the entry point, and the mission also provides interest-free working capital loans, incubation across its Technology Innovation Zone and district hubs, and international market access programmes. Processing is quick by government standards; decisions on Idea Grants routinely come within weeks of a complete application.
The grant ladder
| Grant | Ceiling | Stage and evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Idea Grant | ₹3 lakh | Ideation, design or proof of concept, to reach a minimum viable prototype |
| Productisation Grant | ₹7 lakh | Minimum viable prototype to final product; early traction or early revenue |
| Market Acceleration Grant | ₹10 lakh | Product in market; grant used to accelerate revenue |
| Scale-up Grant | ₹15 lakh | ₹10 lakh revenue from the product in the last six months, or at least ₹30 lakh raised as external equity |
| R&D Grant | ₹30 lakh | Hardware or deep-tech startup with a working prototype or IP that needs extensive R&D to become a product |
All grants are non-dilutive and released in tranches against milestones.
Mission and committee
KSUM's evaluation committee, drawn from its mentor and expert pool, scores applications on innovation, team, market and use of funds. The mission sanctions and disburses; larger R&D grants go through an additional technical review.
Registered with KSUM, stage-matched
- •Startup registered with KSUM and holding a KSUM Unique ID; Kerala incorporation or operations expected
- •DPIIT recognition preferred; students and individual entrepreneurs are eligible for the Idea Grant through KSUM-affiliated institutions
- •Stage evidence matching the grant applied for — the Scale-up Grant's revenue or equity test is applied strictly
- •Innovative product or service; the R&D Grant is confined to hardware and deep-tech with a prototype or IP
What KSUM's application needs
- •KSUM Unique ID; Certificate of Incorporation; DPIIT recognition if held
- •Founder KYC; team profiles
- •Pitch deck and product description with stage evidence — prototype, MVP demo, customer data
- •For Scale-up: GST returns or audited accounts showing ₹10 lakh revenue in six months, or investment agreement and bank credit for ₹30 lakh of external equity
- •Use-of-funds plan with milestones and budget
- •Bank account details of the entity; financial statements or bank statements for the operating period
- •For the R&D Grant: technical note, IP filings, prototype test results
Questions founders ask about KSUM grants
Yes. Each grant is assessed on the stage you are at, not on having taken the earlier one. A startup with an MVP applies for Productisation directly.
KSUM registration is the requirement, and it expects Kerala operations. Startups founded by Keralites elsewhere are encouraged to set up a Kerala entity or office to register.
No. ₹10 lakh in the last six months from the product, or ₹30 lakh of external equity, are the published gates and are checked against documents.
Yes. KSUM grants stack with central support. Declare them where a central scheme asks for prior government funding.