
To inspire the best talents to be entrepreneurs, minimise the risk involved in pursuing
startups, and to partially set off their opportunity costs of high paying jobs.
NIDHI - is the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations, an umbrella program conceptualized by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship division of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India aimed at catapulting INNOVATIONS into STARTUPS, which in turn would contribute to the building of an innovation driven ecosystem to bring about economic development through creation of wealth.
NIDHI - Entrepreneur In Residence (NIDHI-EIR) National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Government of India supporting Technology Business Incubators is mainly associated with academic and research institutions to leverage technologies and innovations for venture creation. Converting technologies and research into startup ventures has a long product development and revenue generation time. To inspire the best talents to be entrepreneurs, minimise the risk involved in pursuing start-ups, and to partially set off their opportunity costs of high paying jobs, NSTEDB has introduced NIDHI - Entrepreneurs In Residence (EIR) Programme. The NIDHI-EIR programme provides tremendous opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs to expand their networks and get critical feedback on their ventures in order to promote their entrepreneurial career goals and aspirations.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Current Call : NIDHI EIR Round 5
Applications Status : Open
For more information reach out to us at:
Contact details:
M: +91 961-153-2032
E: edge@dfmail.org
Objectives of NIDHI-EIR
The program aims:
- To encourage graduating students to take to entrepreneurship by providing support as a fellowship
- To provide a prestigious forum for deserving and budding entrepreneurs to pursue their ventures without any additional risks involved in technology based businesses
- To create, nurture and strengthen a pipeline of entrepreneurs for incubators
- To make pursuing entrepreneurship related to a technology business idea more attractive among available career options
- To enable the creation of new startups by entrepreneurs and significant progress towards raising funding or investment

Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant should be an Indian citizen
- Applicant should have the following education background
(1) Minimum 4 years of undergraduate/postgraduate in the science or engineering field
(2) 3 years of diploma/degree in the science or engineering field with minimum 1-2 years of full time work experience - Candidates shall not be involved in any other source of income
- Business ideas should have a good degree of innovation & technological intervention
Preferences will be given to the following:
- Technology Business Ideas with High Degree of Social Impact
- Women entrepreneurs
- Young Innovators under the age of 35
- Uniqueness of the idea
Funding Mechanism
Support Grants
The NIDHI-EIR support recipient will be eligible to grant maximum of ₹ 30, 000/- per month with a minimum level of ₹ 10, 000/- per month for a period of 12 months. Hence total maximum support to be capped at ₹ 3,60,000/- for each selected NIDHI - EIR.
Duration: 12 to 18 months based on the milestones.
