Lok Sabha Question No. 2830 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Women-led Start-ups under NIDHI
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Dr. Byreddy Shabari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2830 ANSWERED ON 17/12/2025

## WOMEN-LED START-UPS UNDER NIDHI

## 2830.  DR. BYREDDY SHABARI:

Will  the  Minister  of  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the details of the number of women-led startups supported under the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) since its inception, State and year-wise, vis-à-vis the targets set;
- the number of these startups provided early-stage funding under NIDHI-Seed  Support  Program  (NIDHI-SSP),  State/UT  and  startup-wise
- (b) including the quantum of funding disbursed;
- (c) the details of Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) established in women's universities and other institutions, State/UT and year-wise along with the number of women-led startups incubated therein;
- (d) the number of women-led startups that have successfully commercialized their products or services and generated employment;
- and
- (e) the details of pending proposals or planned projects for establishing additional TBIs to further support women entrepreneurs and promote inclusiveness?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (b): The  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  (DST)  has initiated the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) program in year 2016. Through NIDHI program DST has provided support to science and technology (S&T) based startups, including  women-led  startups,  in  their  early-stage  startup  journey. Under NIDHI PRAYAS program, financial support is extended to S&T

based startups for proof of concept (PoC) and prototype development. Under NIDHI Seed Support Program (NIDHI SSP), funding is provided to early stage S&T based startups for technology and business development. These funding supports are provided through the NIDHI TBIs which have been established by DST across the country in premier academic institutions. These TBIs have a wide range of focus areas, such as agri-tech, heath-tech, artificial intelligence, electronics, space tech,  etc.  The  NIDHI  program  of  DST  falls  under  the  Central  Sector Scheme and no dedicated state-wise budget/target is allocated.

Under NIDHI PRAYAS program, 501 women-led startups/women entrepreneurs have been supported for proof of concept and prototype development.  Under  NIDHI  Seed  Support  Program,  Rs.  66.50  Cr.  has been  disbursed  to  213  women-led  startups  for  commercialization  of their  prototypes  into  products.  Year-wise  and  state-wise  details  of number of women innovators/women-led startups supported and funded under NIDHI are placed at Annexure-I and Annexure-II, respectively.

- (c) Under NIDHI Technology Business Incubator (NIDHI TBI) program, TBIs  are  established  in  premier  academic  institutions  for  providing incubation  support  to  the  early-stage  startups.  The  support  to  these startups  is  provided  in  terms  of  technical  and  business  mentoring, intellectual  property  rights,  legal,  regulatory,  funding,  etc.  Under  the NIDHI Inclusive Technology Business Incubator (NIDHI iTBI) program, iTBIs have been established in the academic institutions in tier-2 and tier-3  cities  to  increase  inclusivity  of  entrepreneurship  ecosystem across the country. Year-wise and state-wise details of the NIDHI TBIs &  NIDHI  iTBIs,  established  by  DST  are  placed  at  Annexure-III,  and Annexure-IV, respectively. These incubators have incubated more than 1500 women-led startups.
- (d) Under the NIDHI-SSP program, 167 women-led startups have been supported  who  have  successfully  commercialized  their  products  or services, and have generated employment.
- (e) There is currently no plan for setting up additional TBI in Vigyan Dhara central sector scheme to further support women entrepreneurs and promote inclusiveness during the current finance cycle.

## ANNEXURE-I

## Women-led startups/women innovators supported under NIDHI program (Year-wise)

| Financial Year   |   Number of women-led startups/women innovators supported and funded under NIDHI program |
|------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2017 - 2018      |                                                                                       23 |
| 2018 - 2019      |                                                                                       34 |
| 2019 - 2020      |                                                                                       34 |
| 2020 - 2021      |                                                                                       81 |
| 2021 - 2022      |                                                                                       67 |
| 2022 - 2023      |                                                                                       99 |
| 2023 - 2024      |                                                                                      152 |
| 2024 - 2025      |                                                                                      140 |
| 2025 - 2026      |                                                                                       84 |
| Total            |                                                                                      714 |

ANNEXURE-II Women-led startups/women innovators supported under NIDHI program

## (State-wise)

| State/UT          |   Number of women-led startups/women innovators supported and funded under NIDHI program |
|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh    |                                                                                       24 |
| Assam             |                                                                                        6 |
| Bihar             |                                                                                        6 |
| Chandigarh        |                                                                                        2 |
| Chhattisgarh      |                                                                                        1 |
| Delhi             |                                                                                       30 |
| Goa               |                                                                                        2 |
| Gujarat           |                                                                                       40 |
| Haryana           |                                                                                       15 |
| Himachal Pradesh  |                                                                                        5 |
| Jammu and Kashmir |                                                                                       12 |
| Jharkhand         |                                                                                        2 |
| Karnataka         |                                                                                      148 |
| Kerala            |                                                                                       49 |
| Madhya Pradesh    |                                                                                       11 |
| Maharashtra       |                                                                                       96 |
| Manipur           |                                                                                        3 |
| Odisha            |                                                                                       25 |
| Punjab            |                                                                                        2 |
| Rajasthan         |                                                                                       23 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                                                                                      107 |
| Telangana         |                                                                                       60 |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                                                                                       25 |
| Uttarakhand       |                                                                                        8 |
| West Bengal       |                                                                                       12 |
| Total             |                                                                                      714 |

## ANNEXURE-III

## Number of TBIs/iTBIs established under NIDHI program (Year-wise)

| Year    |   Number of TBIs/iTBIs established under NIDHI program |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                                                      9 |
| 2018-19 |                                                     10 |
| 2019-20 |                                                      9 |
| 2020-21 |                                                      2 |
| 2021-22 |                                                      8 |
| 2022-23 |                                                     30 |
| 2023-24 |                                                      9 |
| 2024-25 |                                                      8 |
| Total   |                                                     85 |

## ANNEXURE-IV

## Number of TBIs/iTBIs established under NIDHI program (State-wise)

| State/UT          |   Number of TBIs/iTBIs established under NIDHI program |
|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh    |                                                      9 |
| Assam             |                                                      2 |
| Bihar             |                                                      2 |
| Chhattisgarh      |                                                      4 |
| Delhi             |                                                      4 |
| Goa               |                                                      1 |
| Gujarat           |                                                      6 |
| Haryana           |                                                      1 |
| Himachal Pradesh  |                                                      2 |
| Jammu and Kashmir |                                                      4 |
| Karnataka         |                                                      6 |
| Madhya Pradesh    |                                                      3 |
| Maharashtra       |                                                      8 |
| Mizoram           |                                                      1 |
| Odisha            |                                                      3 |
| Punjab            |                                                      6 |
| Rajasthan         |                                                      2 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                                                      7 |
| Telangana         |                                                      3 |
| Tripura           |                                                      1 |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                                                      7 |
| Uttarakhand       |                                                      2 |
| West Bengal       |                                                      1 |
| Total             |                                                     85 |

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