NIDHI EIR Entrepreneur in Residence

NIDHI EIR Entrepreneur in Residence sits under the Department of Science and Technology (DST, India), the federal science agency in the Ministry of Science and Technology. It belongs to DST's NIDHI innovation family and is aimed at would-be deep-tech founders working from incubators rather than at later-stage companies looking for large-scale venture capital. The program is active in India, runs on an annual cycle, and gives the NIDHI stack a founder-residency route alongside the better-known prototype and incubation schemes. The instrument is a grant structured as an INR 30,000 monthly stipend for 12 months, so the practical support is time and runway rather than project capital. Eligibility is limited to ventures operating and registered in India, with individuals excluded. The record points to a founder-facing fellowship model, which means the applicant is expected to be a serious entrepreneurial candidate rather than a casual researcher or an outside adviser. The best fit is a founder who needs a year inside an incubator to turn a technical idea into a venture, and who can show why that time is likely to produce a company rather than just a study. Applications should be strongest when the team can explain the venture thesis clearly, show that the work belongs in a deep-tech incubation setting, and use the residency year to narrow the gap between concept and investable company.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.