Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs

TIDE 2.0 Incubator-Routed Support

Funds Indian startups routed through incubators for AI and digital product commercialization.

Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0) is a scheme operated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, designed to promote tech entrepreneurship through financial and technical support to incubators engaged with ICT-enabled startups. The program targets founders using emerging technologies — including IoT, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robotics — applied to seven pre-identified areas of societal relevance aligned with national priorities. TIDE 2.0 is implemented through a network of 51 empanelled Incubation Centres distributed across India, drawn from institutions of higher learning and R&D organisations with established industry linkages. The scheme aims to support approximately 2,000 tech startups over a five-year period.

Funding reaches startups via the incubation centres rather than directly from MeitY. Individual startup support is capped at approximately INR 7 lakh per venture, channelled through two routes: an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) track for idea-stage individuals or teams with ICT-enabled concepts in the thematic areas, and a Proof of Concept (PoC) grant track for registered startups with a working prototype. Applicants must be Indian citizens; foreign nationals including OCI and PIO cardholders are excluded. Eligible legal structures include registered companies; individual applicants may also apply at the EiR stage.

Founders do not apply directly to MeitY but must select a TIDE 2.0 Incubation Centre from the official list and follow that centre's own application calendar and intake schedule. The 51 centres are grouped into three categories reflecting their capacity and focus. MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) was established under TIDE 2.0 to coordinate cross-cutting linkages among the centres, Centres of Excellence on emerging technologies, and the broader innovation ecosystem.