ELEVATE 2026
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Objective

ELEVATE β€” Grant-in-Aid Program

ELEVATE shall provide a one-time Grant-in-Aid of up to INR 50 Lakhs to startups in need of early-stage seed funding to transform their ideas into a proof-of-concept. Recognized startups under this scheme will continue to receive mentoring and incubation support at subsidized rates from government-backed incubation centers, assisting them in product development and validation.

Startups may apply for multiple calls launched by the Department. However, a single pitch presentation will be considered for evaluation across all applied calls. The cumulative grant support across the four calls is capped at INR 50 Lakhs. In instances where a startup applies to multiple calls, it will be considered for selection under the most suitable category, as determined through the evaluation process based the fund availability with the department.

Applicants may apply for multiple calls as shown in the illustration below:

Location Women-Led (Are you a women-led Startup?) SC/ST – (Do you have SC/ST Certificate?) You are eligible to apply for the following
Startups from Bengaluru Urban District
No No
ELEVATE 2026
Yes No
ELEVATE 2026 ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups)
No Yes
ELEVATE 2026 ELEVATE Unnati 2026
Yes Yes
ELEVATE 2026 ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups) ELEVATE Unnati 2026
↓ Districts beyond Bengaluru Urban
Location Women-Led (Are you a women-led Startup?) SC/ST – (Do you have SC/ST Certificate?) You are eligible to apply for the following
Startups from all districts
(except Bengaluru Urban)
No No
ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore) ELEVATE 2026
No Yes
ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore) ELEVATE 2026 ELEVATE Unnati 2026
Yes Yes
ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore) ELEVATE 2026 ELEVATE Unnati 2026 ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups)
Yes No
ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore) ELEVATE 2026 ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups)
Apply Under

Programs & Eligibility Criteria

The following programs can be applied for by the startups. One startup can apply for more than one program. The common eligibility criteria across programs are as follows.

In addition to the general conditions that need to be adhered to by all the startups applying for any of the programs mentioned below, startups should ensure the conditions detailed in the respective programs listed below.

Accepted Entity Types
Private Limited Company
Companies Act, 2013
Registered Partnership Firm
Partnership Act, 1932
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
LLP Act, 2008
One Person Company Private Limited
State/Multi-State Co-operative Society
Multi-State Cooperative Society registered with the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002) or a Cooperative Society registered under any State or Union Territory Cooperative Societies Act with the respective Registrar of Cooperative Societies in India.
Common Eligibility Conditions
Karnataka-Based
Startups applying to the ELEVATE Program can be based anywhere in Karnataka.
Revenue Under β‚Ή200 Crore
Company turnover not exceeding INR 200 CR in any Financial year since incorporation
Within 10 Years of Incorporation
Be within 10 years from the date of incorporation at the time of application.
Independent Entity
Be an independent entity and not a subsidiary, spin-off, or internal division of an existing company.
Minimum Team of 2
Have a minimum team size of two individuals.
No Prior ELEVATE Grant (3 Yrs)
Should not have been a beneficiary under the ELEVATE Grant-in-Aid scheme in the last 3 years during the time of application.
Innovation Focus
The startup should be working towards innovation/improvement of existing products, services, and processes and should have the potential to generate employment, create wealth, or create market opportunities.
Ownership Stability
Terms and conditions of ownership should NOT be altered to the founder's advantage during the course of the project.
ELEVATE 2026

Startups should follow ALL the above-mentioned eligibility criteria.

ELEVATE Unnati
  • At least one Director(s) / Partner(s) β€” individually or collectively β€” must belong to the SC/ST community, and such SC/ST member(s) must hold a minimum of 70% equity in the company / firm. The shareholding pattern as on the date of application and during the entire project duration must reflect this requirement. Any dilution or change in ownership that breaches this condition will lead to disqualification or termination of assistance.
  • SC/ST Director(s) / Partner(s) should possess a valid digital caste certificate issued by the Revenue Department, Govt. of Karnataka with a valid RD NUMBER.
ELEVATE Aspire
  • Startups should be registered beyond the Bengaluru Urban region.
ELEVATE Shakti
  • Any entity having women as founder or co-founder (individual or group of women) with a minimum of 51% stake in the entity company / firm shall be considered.
  • The shareholding pattern as on the date of application and during the entire project duration must reflect this requirement.
  • Any dilution or change in ownership that breaches this condition will lead to disqualification or termination of assistance.
Application

Application Process

1
Online Application Submission
Common for all program tracks

All startups submit their application through the official portal with the following:

Incorporation / registration details Business & innovation details Founding team credentials Financials & grant utilisation plan Mandatory documents
ELEVATE 2026
A grant-in-aid seed funding program under the Startup Policy applicable to all Startups registered in the State of Karnataka.
ELEVATE Unnati
SC/ST ownership (min. 70% equity) mandatory, valid digital caste certificate with RD NUMBER and incorporation/registration certificate
ELEVATE Aspire
The Startups registered outside Bangalore Urban (within Karnataka) and incorporation/ registration certificate. This is a focused initiative under the department β€œLocal Economy Acceleration program (LEAP)”
ELEVATE Shakti
Shareholding pattern indicating women founder or co-founder (individual or group of women) with min. 51% stake and incorporation/registration certificate
2
Data Sufficiency & Eligibility Screening
Conducted by Program Management Unit (PMU)

Administrative and technical verification of applications on the following conditions:

Legal eligibility Age of startup (≀ 10 years) Turnover cap (≀ INR 200 Cr) Compliance with ownership norms
Outcome: Eligible applications are shortlisted and proceed to the evaluation phase.
3
Pitch Deck Evaluation
Applicable to Bengaluru Urban startups under ELEVATE 2026 only.
Offline / desk-based pitch deck review
Evaluation by 3 member Jury panel
Shortlisted startups advance to Multi-City Pitching
Not applicable for: ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore), ELEVATE Unnati 2026 and ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups) – these tracks proceed directly to Multi-City Pitching (In-person)
4
Multi-City Pitching (MCP)
Physical pitch sessions across Karnataka β€” common for all tracks
Physical pitch sessions conducted across Karnataka
A minimum score of 60 marks out of 100 is required to qualify for the Grand Finale
Applicable to all tracks : ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore), ELEVATE Unnati 2026 and ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups) and Bengaluru startups shortlisted from Pitch evaluation
The pitch deck submitted by startups during the application shall be used in this round. Startups will not be allowed to make any changes in their pitch decks at this stage.
Evaluation Criteria β€” 100 Marks Total
Novelty / Innovation
30 pts
Strength of Business Model
30 pts
Potential Socio-economic Impact
20 pts
Team Strength
10 pts
Budgetary Allocation
10 pts
Total Marks 100 pts
  • β€’ Each parameter is scored independently by the jury panel.
  • β€’ Composition of the jury panel shall differ across the rounds based on domain expertise.
  • β€’ The cumulative score shall determine the final ranking and subsequently define the grant allocation.
5
Grand Finale & Winner Selection
Final pitching β†’ merit list β†’ grant sanction β†’ onboarding

Final round of pitching for eligible startups that score the minimum cut-off score of 60 marks in the Multi-City Pitching round.

A
Final Selection & Approval

Consolidated merit list prepared separately for:

  • β€’ ELEVATE 2026
  • β€’ ELEVATE Aspire 2026 (Beyond Bangalore)
  • β€’ ELEVATE Unnati 2026
  • β€’ ELEVATE Shakti 2026 (Women led Startups)

Final ratification by:

  • β€’ ELEVATE Evaluation Committee
  • β€’ Chaired by Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT & S&T
πŸ†
Grant Sanction & Onboarding
  • β€’ Grant-in-Aid sanctioned (up to β‚Ή50 Lakhs)
  • β€’ Milestone-based disbursement
  • β€’ Signing of the Grant Agreement

Mapping to:

  • β€’ Government-supported incubators
  • β€’ Mentors and Government supported Incubators/ Accelerators/ CoEs/ Innovation Hubs
Post-Selection

Fund Disbursal & Project Monitoring

Following the Grand Finale, startups will be selected as winners through a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process. Grant-in-Aid awards are determined based on final jury rankings, with tiered allocation based on score.

Fund Disbursal
Disbursal conditions for grant recipients

Grant disbursal is contingent upon:

Completion of post-selection documentation and verification.
Submission of a detailed grant utilization plan aligned with the approved proposal.
Adherence to financial and operational guidelines issued by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT.
Project Execution & Monitoring
Execution framework, milestone review, and compliance
A
Execution Framework
Beneficiary startups must implement their projects in accordance with the approved proposal, timeline, and grant utilization plan submitted during the final evaluation stage.
Execution begins upon signing of the tripartite agreement under the ELEVATE Grant-in-Aid framework.
Startups are required to maintain comprehensive records of technical progress, financial expenditures, and team activities throughout the implementation period.
B
Monitoring & Milestone Review
The grant will be disbursed in 2 equal tranches.
The first tranche shall be released upon beneficiary confirmation and execution of the tripartite agreement under the ELEVATE Grant-in-Aid framework (between KITS, the K-Tech partner the winners are mapped to, and the winning startups).
The second tranche shall be released post successful completion and review of the previous milestone, subject to approval by the ELEVATE review committee.
Startups must facilitate audits, inspections, or review meetings as requested by the Department or implementation partners.
Monitoring responsibilities are shared between: K-Tech Innovation Partners and KITS & Dept. of Electronics, IT & BT.
K-Tech Innovation Partners
Government supported Incubators/ Accelerators/ CoEs/ Innovation Hubs which shall handhold, incubate, track progress and recommend tranche releases.
KITS & Dept. of Electronics, IT & BT
Coordinate milestone validation and ensure compliance.
C
Reporting & Compliance

Upon completion of the project, startups must submit a final report outlining:

  • Achieved outcomes and measurable impact
  • Financial utilization of the grant
  • Supporting documentation including audited financial statements
Any unutilized funds must be returned in accordance with the terms specified in the grant agreement.
Closure
Closure is contingent upon the submission of all required reports, financial documentation and completion of project milestones.
Required

List of Supporting Documents

Prepare and verify all documents before starting your application. Missing or invalid documents will result in automatic rejection.

Mandatory
Pitch Deck
Pitch deck as per the prescribed portal template.

Guidance for the preparation of Pitch Deck
Mandatory
CA Revenue Certificate
CA-certified revenue certificate for Financial Year 2024–25.
Mandatory
Incorporation Certificate
Valid certificate of incorporation of your registered entity.
Mandatory
MOA
Memorandum of Association with updated shareholding pattern / e-spice MoA.
LLP / Partnership
Partnership Deed Certificate
Partnership Deed certificate applicable for LLP / Partnership firms.
Mandatory
Non-Beneficiary Affidavit
Affidavit stating the applicant has not received ELEVATE Grant-in-Aid in the last 3 years.
Unnati Track Only
Caste Certificate
Valid caste certificate required for ELEVATE Unnati applicants.

Mode of Submission: Submit the application via the proper official channel. Details will be communicated separately.

Resources

Downloads

Download and review all templates carefully before filling your application.

πŸ“ˆ
Pitch Deck Template
Click to download

Guidance for the preparation of Pitch Deck

https://eitbt.karnataka.gov.in/startup/public/139/elevate-pitch-masterclass/en
πŸ“œ
Affidavit Format
Click to download
Get In Touch

Contact & Key Dates

Submit your application before the deadline. Applications are accepted only through the official portal.

Application Open Date
[25th May 2026 9:00 AM IST]
Last Date to Apply
[25th June 2026, 5:00 PM IST]
Email
startupcell[at]karnataka[dot]gov[dot]in
Contact Number
+91 - 080 22231007
Startup Karnataka

Ready to Apply?

Selected startups are eligible for up to β‚Ή50 Lakhs in grant-in-aid, along with mentorship, incubation support, and milestone-based funding disbursement.

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