IGNITE – IDFC FIRST Bank’s Social Incubation Programme
9-month incubation programme supporting Indian startups developing sustainable solutions for environmental challenges and livelihood creation.
About the Program
Provider: IDFC FIRST Bank Implementation Partner: IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) Cohort Size: 16 startups Program Duration: 9 months Application Deadline: 15 September 2026
Eligibility requirements
- • Startup must be registered and operating in India
- • At least one founder must be an Indian citizen
- • Functional MVP or demonstrated PoC at TRL 4 or above
- • Must address a social, environmental or developmental challenge aligned with the program
- • Startup must be incorporated for not more than 10 years
- • Must operate in the eligible focus sectors
Offerings / Benefits
- • 9 months of structured incubation
- • CSR grant support
- • Up to ₹25 lakh for top-performing startups, subject to performance evaluation
- • One-on-one mentoring from IIMCIP and industry experts
- • Technical bootcamps, masterclasses and webinars
- • Business diagnostics and mock pitches
- • Market validation and market access opportunities
- • Investor pitching and fundraising support
- • Networking with industry leaders, mentors, investors and ecosystem partners
- Program Timeline:
- • Applications: August–September 2026
- • Cohort onboarding: October 2026
- • Incubation begins: October 2026
- • Demo Day / Program End: March 2027
Sectors supported
Selection process
- • Applications: August–September 2026
- • Cohort onboarding: October 2026
- • Incubation begins: October 2026
- • Demo Day / Program End: March 2027
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