Startup India Seed Fund Scheme- For Incubators 2026

The AICTE-Professional Development Scheme offers financial help to talented faculty members for presenting their research at national Read More... and international conferences, seminars, and symposia. Read less

Details

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has introduced the Professional Development Scheme to support its faculty and officers. This scheme aims to help them present their research work at prestigious conferences, both within India and abroad.

What is the AICTE-Professional Development Scheme?

This program is designed to provide financial assistance to regular faculty members of AICTE-approved institutions and AICTE officers. The goal is to encourage them to participate in international conferences, thereby updating their knowledge and skills with global advancements in their fields.

Who can benefit from this scheme?

The scheme is open to full-time regular faculty from AICTE-approved institutions and university departments that have been operational for at least 5 years. Additionally, officers of AICTE holding positions from Assistant Director and above, whether regular or on deputation, are also eligible.

Why is this scheme important?

It's a crucial initiative that fosters academic excellence and professional growth. By facilitating participation in global conferences, the scheme ensures that faculty and officers can share their research, gain international exposure, and bring back valuable insights that can benefit technical education in India.

Objective

The AICTE-Professional Development Scheme offers financial help to talented faculty members for presenting their research at national and international conferences, seminars, and symposia.

Benefits

A Grant of up to ₹5 (five) crore would be provided to a selected incubator in milestone-based three (or) more installments.
A component of Management Fee @ 5% of the Seed Fund grant to the incubator will be provisioned (i.e. if an incubator is granted ₹1 crore of Seed Fund, then by including management fee @ 5%, the total assistance would be ₹1.050 crore).

Note 01:The exact quantum of grant and installments for each incubator will be decided by the Experts Advisory Committee (EAC) based on its evaluation.

Note 02:Incubators shall use the grant only for disbursal to eligible startups and shall not use the grant for facility creation or any other expenses.

Note 03:The Management Fee provisioned for incubators shall not be used by the incubator for facility creation or any other administrative expenses. The Management Fee will be utilized for administrative expenditure, selection and due diligence of startups, and monitoring of the progress of beneficiary startups.

Note 04:Installments shall be released to incubators upon submission of proofs of achievement of milestones as decided by EAC. A Proportionate Management fee shall also be released with each installment.

Note 05:The quantum of the first installment may be up to 40% of the total approved commitment. When the cash-in-hand of the incubator goes below 10% of the total commitment by EAC, the Incubator may request for the next installment, which shall be released to the incubator within 30 days of submission of proof of achievement of milestones.

Note 06:The grant should be utilized fully by the incubator within a period of three years from the date of receipt of the first installment of funds.

Note 07:If the Incubator has not utilized at least 50% of the total commitment within the first 2 years, then the Incubator will not be eligible for any further drawdowns. It will return all unutilized funds along with interest.

Note 08:Interest earned on all unutilized funds available with incubators shall be taken into account and adjusted at the time of the next release.

Note 09:The financing of beneficiaries will be done with efficiency and care. Selected incubators would be responsible for proper management and disbursement of the Seed Fund.

Note 10:The selected incubator shall maintain a transparent process of selection, monitoring, and disbursement mechanism for the fund. Seed Fund would be disbursed to selected startups after due diligence by the incubator.

Note 11:The incubators shall be responsible for providing physical infrastructure to the selected startups for regular functioning, support for testing and validating ideas, mentoring for prototype or product development or commercialization, and developing capacities in finance, human resources, legal compliances, and other functions. They are also expected to provide networking with investors and opportunities for showcasing at various national and international events. If the selected startup does not want to utilize the physical infrastructure of the incubator, the incubator shall offer all other resources and services to the startup.

Note 12:A startup selected by an incubator for assistance under this scheme shall not be charged any fees.

Sources and references

Startup India Website

Eligibility Criteria

You must be a full-time regular faculty member at an AICTE-approved Institute or an AICTE-approved University Department (which has been functioning for at least 5 years).
AICTE officers holding the rank of Assistant Director or higher, either on a regular basis or deputation, are eligible.
You should not have received any grant under this scheme in the last three years.
You must have received an acceptance letter for your research paper from the conference organizers.

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted three months before the conference date. The claims for reimbursement, along with all required documents, should be sent to AICTE through the Head of the Institution within two months of completing the visit.

Important Note: Journey must be undertaken via Air India unless an official certificate from Air India confirms no flight availability on the required route. If travelling by any other airline without this certificate, the approved airfare will not be released.

Address for Submission:

AICTE, Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi - 110070

Official Link:

You can find more details and application forms on the official AICTE website.

Documents Required

To claim reimbursement after your visit, you need to submit the following documents to AICTE via your Head of Institution:

Attested copy of your passport showing visa and immigration stamps.
A self-attested certificate confirming the journey undertaken.
A statement detailing all expenses incurred against the travel grant.
Original and legible Air-India or Indian Airlines air tickets along with original boarding passes.
An official certificate from Air-India if you travelled by another airline, confirming no flights were available on your route.
The acceptance letter for your paper from the conference organizers.
Original receipt for the registration fee paid.
A copy of the paper you presented at the conference.
Voucher showing the foreign currency exchange rate if applicable.
Travel documents or a participation certificate from the concerned agency.
A progress report on the international conference, its outcomes, and benefits, detailing scientific and technical activities, countersigned by the Director/Registrar/Principal.
A certificate from your institution's head stating you haven't availed any AICTE travel grant in the last two years.
Details of any other assistance or facilities received from other organizations for the conference, with proof.
Information about any assistance or facilities provided by the conference organizers or other similar agencies.
A certified copy of the AICTE Extension of Approval for the current year.
E-payment details in the prescribed format.
Photographs from the conference.

FAQ’s

When should I submit my application for this scheme?

You need to submit your application for this scheme three months in advance of the conference date.

What is the maximum grant I can receive for a conference within India?

For conferences held within India, the maximum financial grant you can receive is ₹ 50,000.

Can I apply if my institution is not approved by AICTE?

No, you must be a full-time regular faculty member from an AICTE-approved Institute or an AICTE-approved University Department that has existed for at least 5 years to be eligible.

What happens if I travelled by an airline other than Air India?

If you travelled by an airline other than Air India, the airfare reimbursement will only be processed if you have an official certificate from Air India stating that there were no flights available on that sector. Otherwise, the approved airfare might not be released.

How long do I have to submit my reimbursement claim after the conference?

You need to submit your claim for reimbursement, along with all relevant documents, to AICTE within two months of completing your visit.

Can an officer of AICTE apply for this scheme?

Yes, officers of AICTE from Assistant Director level and above, whether they are on regular employment or deputation, are eligible to apply.

What if I have already received a grant for an Indian conference and want to apply for an international one?

If you have availed a grant for a conference within India, you are still eligible to apply for an international grant within a period of three years. However, the amount you can claim will be reduced by the amount you already utilized for the Indian conference.

What is the core purpose of the AICTE-Professional Development Scheme?

The scheme's main goal is to allow talented faculty and AICTE officers to engage with the international academic community, present their research, and stay updated with global advancements in their fields of expertise.

How much financial assistance is available for conferences in Europe or Asia?

For conferences held in Group B countries, which include Europe, Far-East Asia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Africa, the financial assistance is up to ₹ 1,20,000/-.