NIDHI4COVID2.0 initiative has been specially devised as a rapid response to support startup driven solutions, which would be helpful in tackling the current challenging, second wave of Covid 2.0 in the country.
Sponsoring Agency: NSTEDB
Type of Fund: Program
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 05/31/2021
Size of the Fund: Not Available
NIDHI4COVID2.0 initiative has been specially devised as a rapid response to support startup driven solutions, which would be helpful in tackling the current challenging, second wave of Covid 2.0 in the country.
NIDHI4COVID2.0 is a special drive of National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI) for supporting indigenous solutions and innovative products which would enable the country to fight against COVID-19 pandemic more strongly. This has been built based on NSTEDB’s past experience of implementing Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) and also through special calls through National Initiative For Developing And Harnessing Innovations – Seed Support System (NIDHI – SSS) from Technology business incubators (TBI) to support Startups last year.
In the current situation too, startups can play a major role in bringing new technologies and products in the market, thus making country stronger at various fronts against the ongoing war on COVID. Some of the startups already have promising technologies but need mentoring, financial and marketing support to go to the next level. Thus, DST’s attempt through this new initiative is to scout and support deserving startups with much needed support to scale up their technologies, helping them reach the product deployment stage as fast as possible.
Thrust Area to be supported
• Oxygen innovation
o Oxygen concentrator
o Oxygen supply chain
o Oxygen generator
o Cylinder cleaning and converting technology
o Cylinder fittings
o BiPAP
o CPAP
o 3D printing of cylinder fitting etc
• Portable solution
o Portable ventilators
o Multi-parameter monitoring devices
o Remote monitoring systems
o Respirator, Resuscitator
o Other peripheral medical equipment such as Contactless thermometers & Stethoscopes
o Patient monitoring system
• Relevant medical accessories
o Home care solution
o Home ICU solutions
• Diagnostic
o Rapid Antibody & Antigen diagnostic kits
o Other diagnostic kits
o Genomics based mapping solutions
o Reagents
o Safe sample collections
o Tele-pathology
o Tele-radiology
• Informatics
o Health care information systems
o Movement tracking & tracing
o Crowd management
o Geofencing
o Logistics
o Tele-consultation
o Any containment solutions involving software / mobile applications
o Patient tracking/monitoring systems
• Others
o Any solution that addresses/mitigates various challenges faced by country/society due to the severe impact of COVID-19
o Development and Manufacturing (import substitution) of the Products Parts which are currently being imported for the devices like Oxygen Concentrators etc.
Support Offered
Startups whose technologies/products are of huge importance in ongoing fight against COVID, after undergoing due evaluation process would be considered for Seed Support through DST supported network of TBIs. Financial and mentoring support would be offered to recommended promising startups for scaling up their products/technologies to the next level and speeding up their processes, helping them reach the product deployment stage as fast as possible.
Eligibility Criteria
• The applicant startup must be a startup/company registered in India . Startup having a formal association with the incubator (Any central and state government supported incubators) in its resident or virtual incubation program would be preferred.
o If the applicant startup is a non-incubated one but shows promising technologies DST will try to connect them to existing programs for possible evaluation and support upon the committee’s recommendation
• Startups should be less than 10 years in existence.
o In case startup has more than 10 years of existence, and the product has reached commercialization stage, the company may approach Technology Development Board (TDB) for the needed funding support
• The startup having DPIIT recognition with Startup India would be preferred. In case the startup does not have DPIIT recognition while applying in the NIDHI4COVID 2.0 program, the startup may ensure to get DPIIT recognition as soon as possible.
• Founders of the applicant company should have at least 51% Indian shareholding, and should be having a competent team in place, preferably with domain expertise.
• The applicant startup should have developed a clear product to market fit, customer discovery with clarity on intended customers and value propositions for its targeted customers.
• Preferably at a revenue stage or has raised funds earlier.
• Preferably to have already deployed or ready to deploy a product within a few weeks.
o Products requiring approval from competent authorities may share their plan of action and latest status.
• Innovative solutions at conceptual stage requiring funds for prototype development would be directed towards NIDHI PRAYAS program in line with the program guidelines.
• Key information and along with list of documents to be submitted by the startup while filing the application form:
o Product working principles indicating the current product development stage and milestones to be achieved from the fund required.
o Business plan
o Endorsement from the applicant regarding incubation support/ affiliation from GoI / State supported incubator.
o Certifications/approvals applied/pending or received.
• The following documents will be required from the startups by the implementing TBIs for during evaluation:
o Company Registration certificates (CoI, MoA, AoA)
o Shareholding pattern
o GST registration certificate
o KYC of promoters – Aadhar card and PAN Card
o Balance sheet (If applicable) and Bank account statement last 6 months
More information at: https://dstnidhi4covid.in/
Eligible Countries:
India
