Uttarakhand – The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur has announced financial support of up to Rs 10 lakh for innovative startups under the “GENESIS EIR Support Programme” of the Ministry of IT. The initiative, led by IIM Kashipur’s Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (FIED), aims to promote youth innovation and entrepreneurship across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities in India. Applications are open until October 20 through the portal – iimkashipur.ac.in.
Dr. Safal Batra from IIM Kashipur, speaking at the Uttarakhand AI Impact Summit, said the programme focuses on electronic design and manufacturing, deep tech software and products, and ICT-based innovations. Last year, 75 startups received grants, leading to the creation of over 3,000 jobs. The initiative seeks to encourage young innovators to take risks and turn their ideas into scalable ventures.
Eligible applicants include full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as founders of DPIIT-recognized startups less than two years old. Applicants must be in the ideation, prototyping, or proof-of-concept stage and should not have received more than Rs 10 lakh in external funding, including government grants. Their ideas must be original and not replicas of existing products or services.
At the same event, Dr. Azam Ali from IIT Roorkee TIDES Foundation emphasized that impactful innovation attracts investment naturally. He advised young entrepreneurs to create solutions that benefit millions, saying, “If your product touches lives, investors will find you.” He added that IIT Roorkee currently supports over 270 startups and will continue aiding projects that apply AI for sustainable development, healthcare, and governance, including applications in events like Kumbh 2027.
