Entrepreneur Eligibility

• Nationality: The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
• Age: The entrepreneur must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
• Commitment: The applicant must be a first-generation entrepreneur and committed to working full-time on the proposed startup idea during the EiR program duration.

Startup/Idea Eligibility

• Stage of the Startup:
  • The startup should be in the ideation, validation, or very early stages.
  • Must not have received significant external funding (exceeding ₹10 lakh, including government grants).
• Sector Focus:
  • The proposed startup should focus on technology innovation aligned with the GENESIS scheme’s objectives
    • Electronics & IT
    • Emerging technologies (AI, IoT, blockchain, etc.)
    • Digital solutions addressing societal challenges (e.g., health, education, agriculture, sustainability).
• Scalability and Impact:
  • The startup must have the potential for scalability and create a measurable impact, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
• Legal Compliance:
  • If the startup is already incorporated, it must be registered as a Private Limited Company, and LLP under applicable Indian laws.
  • The entity must not be older than 1 year at the time of application.
• Originality:
  • The startup idea must be original and not involve duplication of existing products/services or any form of plagiarism.

Funding and Financial Eligibility

• No Prior Funding Obligations:
  • The applicant or startup should not have already received significant private or government funding for the same idea.
  • Startups that have availed of government support under other schemes for the same concept may not be eligible.
• No Prior Funding Obligations:
  • The entrepreneur must demonstrate a clear and actionable plan for utilizing the EiR support (e.g., prototype development, market research, or customer validation).

Regional Criteria

• Location:
  • Priority will be given to startups and entrepreneurs from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to promote regional innovation.

Alignment with GENESIS Objectives

• The proposed startup/idea should align with the overarching goals of the GENESIS scheme:
  • Promoting technology-led entrepreneurship.
  • Creating jobs and fostering regional innovation hubs.
  • Supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.