Derbi Foundation
DERBI Foundation is a Bangalore-based, DST/NSTEDB-backed Section 8 technology business incubator that runs pre-incubation (PACE), incubation (GALLOP), and healthcare-focused acceleration (EMERGE) programs, administers government seed-fund schemes, and operates prototyping labs for early-stage Indian startups.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBangalore, India
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Derbi Foundation does
DERBI Foundation (legally Dayananda Sagar Entrepreneurship Research and Business Incubation Foundation) is a Section 8 non-profit technology business incubator headquartered in Bangalore, India, founded in 2015 out of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre established at Dayananda Sagar Institutions in 2009. It is supported by India's Department of Science and Technology (DST), NSTEDB, and MeitY, and operates a three-stage startup support stack: PACE (3–4 month pre-incubation using Stanford Bio Design methodology), GALLOP (2-year incubation with regulatory, IP, and mentoring support), and EMERGE (acceleration for late-stage healthcare startups, with its second cohort pivoted to digital health). Beyond programs, DERBI administers multiple central-government funding schemes — NIDHI EiR, NIDHI PRAYAS, NIDHI SSS, MeitY Tide 2.0, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and MeitY Scale-up Investment — and provides physical prototyping infrastructure via the Prayas Shala Lab, Mouser Innovation Lab, Component Bank, and subsidized MathWorks and AWS access.
The foundation's business model is grant-funded rather than fee-based: eligible startups receive pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration services at no direct cost, with workshop fees ranging only nominally from Rs 100 to Rs 1,500. Cumulative revenue and funding attributed to leadership is approximately Rs 30 crores over a roughly 10-year horizon, with Rs 23 crores from Government of India projects. Revenue streams are therefore best characterized as government grants (DST/NSTEDB/MeitY/Startup India) plus incubation and acceleration program services. The customer base is broad — early-stage entrepreneurs, technology startups, late-stage healthcare ventures, and student innovators — with case-study examples spanning zBliss Technologies, Carbon Hub, Module Innovations, CoRover, and Makerinme across healthcare, environmental, tourism, and education technology verticals.
Strategically, DERBI's competitive position rests on its regulatory accreditation as a recognized Technology Business Incubator, a dense ecosystem of hospital partners (Sagar Hospitals), corporate backers (Mouser, MathWorks, AWS), investor networks (Indian Angel Network, Ankur Capital), and association partners (C-CAMP, IESA, SIHI), plus its 2021 designation as the SIHI India Hub. It has also begun taking investor positions directly, including a Rs 1 crore lead in wearable-health startup Neauphony in January 2022. The foundation operates exclusively within India, primarily in Karnataka, with some pan-India reach through programs like MedTechnovation across 18 states.
Derbi Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Derbi Foundation
- Legal name
- Dayananda Sagar Entrepreneurship Research and Business Incubation Foundation
- Website
- https://derbifoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- DERBI Foundation is a Bangalore-based, DST/NSTEDB-backed Section 8 technology business incubator that runs pre-incubation (PACE), incubation (GALLOP), and healthcare-focused acceleration (EMERGE) programs, administers government seed-fund schemes, and operates prototyping labs for early-stage Indian startups.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Derbi Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)
Keywords
Where Derbi Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bangalore
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Derbi Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Program Funding: DERBI Foundation is a non-profit Section 8 organization supported by Department of Science and Technology (DST) and NSTEDB. Revenue comes through various government schemes and funding programs including NIDHI, MeitY, and Startup India Seed Fund. Funding to the tune of approximately 30 crores generated, with projects from Govt of India worth Rs 23 crores.
- Incubation and Acceleration Program Services: Providing pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration programs to startups with associated support services including mentorship, lab access, funding facilitation, and ecosystem connections
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free access to programs for eligible startups through government funding |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Workshop and training program fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Derbi Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DERBI Foundation is a Section 8 non-profit Technology Business Incubator that supports startups through three flagship programs: PACE (3-4 month pre-incubation), GALLOP (2-year incubation), and EMERGE (acceleration for late-stage healthcare startups). It facilitates government-backed funding schemes including NIDHI EiR, NIDHI PRAYAS, NIDHI SSS, MeitY Tide 2.0, and Startup India Seed Fund, and provides physical lab infrastructure (Prayas Shala Lab, Mouser Innovation Lab, PCB Design Studio, Component Bank) along with mentorship, prototyping, and clinical trial support.
Product overview
Derbi Foundation is a non-profit Section 8 organization and technology business incubator that operates a multi-stage startup support ecosystem. The foundation provides pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration programs for healthcare and technology startups, offering a portfolio of programs including PACE (pre-incubation), GALLOP (incubation), and EMERGE (acceleration) as its core flagship programs. Supporting these are various funding schemes including NIDHI EiR, NIDHI PRAYAS, MeitY Tide 2.0, NIDHI SSS, Startup India Seed Fund (SISFS), and MeitY Scale-up Investment. The foundation also provides physical infrastructure through its Prayas Shala Lab and Mouser Innovation Lab, along with services such as mentorship/coaching, workshops/training, lab and R&D support, design and prototyping, funding assistance, clinical trial support, and legal/financial advisory.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PACE: Pre-Incubation Program - 3-4 months program providing platform to nascent entrepreneurs using Stanford Bio Design methodology
- GALLOP
- EMERGE
- BIONEST
- Prayas Shala Lab
- SISFS
Quantifiable outcome
- 140+ entrepreneurs supported
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Derbi Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Derbi Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Derbi Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI)coreDERBI Foundation established as SIHI India Hub - a fully self-financed country research hub for social innovation in health. Technical support from SIHI Secretariat in Philippines. DERBI led nationwide call for solutions and healthcare excellence awards.
- Dayananda Sagar Institutions (DSI)coreDSI is the host institution for DERBI Foundation. The foundation originated from an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (IEDC) established for DSI in 2009, which later evolved into DERBI Foundation in 2015 with DSI's continued support as the host campus.
- Sagar HospitalscoreSagar Hospitals is a key healthcare ecosystem partner providing clinical workflow insights, hospital connections, and CSR support for DERBI Foundation programs. Co-hosted EMERGE acceleration program and Social Tech Innovation Challenge.
- InnAccelmajorHealthcare accelerator and incubator partner that co-hosted the EMERGE program launch event, providing expertise in healthcare startup development and ecosystem connections.
- Frost & SullivanmajorStrategic partner providing market research data and business model curation support for EMERGE program participants through database access and expert sessions.
- Mouser ElectronicscoreMouser partnered with DERBI to create Mouser Innovation Lab for next-gen product development. Also partners for Proto Alpha platform for startups to test initial prototypes and component bank initiatives.
- MathWorksmajorProvides free MathWorks license access to SISFS program participants for simulation and design capabilities.
- Amazon (AWS)majorTechnology partner providing cloud infrastructure credits and support for SISFS and Social Tech Innovation Challenge programs.
- Startup KarnatakamajorGovernment of Karnataka initiative partnering for capacity building workshops, startup ecosystem development, and innovation challenges.
- K-Tech Innovation HubmajorKarnataka's innovation hub partners for Bio Innovation to Marketplace master class and healthcare ecosystem development programs.
- C-CAMPmajorCentre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms partners on healthcare innovation initiatives including patent workshops and MedTechnovation program.
- India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA)majorIndustry association partners on MedTechnovation healthcare innovation event along with Texas Instruments, Micron, ARM, MathWorks, and Forus Health as technology partners.
- TIE BangaloreminorThe Indus Entrepreneurs Bangalore chapter partners for ecosystem networking and startup support.
- TiE BangaloreminorDr Lakshmi Jagannathan is a Charter Member of TiE Bangalore, enabling mentorship and networking connections for startups.
- BIORx Venture AdvisorsminorStrategic partner for Bio Innovations to Marketplace master class with Founder & CEO Mr Vishal Gandhi as lead faculty.
- IvyCampminorCorporate innovation platform partner providing startup connect opportunities for SISFS program.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Derbi Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- C-CAMP (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms): Bengaluru-based biotech and healthcare incubator with deep ties to DST/Government of India. Directly comparable to DERBI because both run healthcare-focused pre-incubation and incubation programs with lab infrastructure, government scheme access, and overlap on partners like MedTechnovation and patent workshops.
- NSRCEL (IIT Bangalore): IIT Bangalore's startup incubator offering pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration programs for technology and social-impact ventures. Comparable to DERBI's PACE/GALLOP/EMERGE structure, Bengaluru footprint, and government-supported non-equity program model serving early-stage Indian founders.
- InnAccel Acceleration: India's leading healthcare-focused accelerator partnering with hospitals to commercialize medical technology. Directly comparable because InnAccel co-launched DERBI's EMERGE program and shares the same medical device/health-tech focus area, hospital-connect ecosystem, and late-stage acceleration model.
- Social Alpha: India-based innovation curation and venture incubation platform focused on health, agriculture, and livelihood sectors with deep philanthropic and government backing. Comparable to DERBI's social-innovation and healthcare focus (including SIHI India Hub work) and lab/mentorship-driven startup support model.
- CIIE.CO (IIM Ahmedabad): IIM Ahmedabad's technology business incubator running pre-seed and seed programs with government scheme access. Comparable to DERBI's PACE/GALLOP structure, India-wide founder sourcing, and non-equity/grant-driven incubation model.
Broad incumbents
- T-Hub: India's largest startup incubator based in Hyderabad with state-government backing and broad sector coverage including healthcare, fintech, and SaaS. Comparable to DERBI as a state-backed incubator running multi-stage programs but serves a much wider sector footprint and geography.
- IIT Madras Research Park: Academic-hosted deep-tech incubator with strong hardware and lab infrastructure including electronics, IoT, and biotech labs. Comparable to DERBI because it offers similar lab access, pre-incubation programs, and DST-backed funding schemes, but operates at significantly larger scale and across all deep-tech sectors.
Emerging players
- Forge (Bangalore): Bengaluru-based early-stage accelerator and seed investor focused on consumer and enterprise startups. Comparable to DERBI because both serve Indian founders in the Bangalore ecosystem with cohort-based programming, but Forge operates a for-profit equity model.
- 91springboard: Indian coworking and startup hub network offering mentorship, events, and investor connects to early-stage founders. Comparable to DERBI at the pre-incubation/community layer (workshops, mentor network, founder community) but does not provide equivalent lab infrastructure or government scheme delivery.
Regional players
- Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM): Kerala state government's flagship startup incubator with hardware labs, funding schemes, and pre-incubation/incubation programs. Comparable to DERBI's TBI structure, government backing, and hardware/electronics focus but geographically focused on Kerala rather than Karnataka.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Derbi Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceDerbi Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Derbi Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Derbi Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Derbi Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments27 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Derbi Foundation
What does Derbi Foundation do?
DERBI Foundation is a Section 8 non-profit Technology Business Incubator that supports startups through three flagship programs: PACE (3-4 month pre-incubation), GALLOP (2-year incubation), and EMERGE (acceleration for late-stage healthcare startups). It facilitates government-backed funding schemes including NIDHI EiR, NIDHI PRAYAS, NIDHI SSS, MeitY Tide 2.0, and Startup India Seed Fund, and provides physical lab infrastructure (Prayas Shala Lab, Mouser Innovation Lab, PCB Design Studio, Component Bank) along with mentorship, prototyping, and clinical trial support.
Is Derbi Foundation a public or private company?
Derbi Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Derbi Foundation founded?
Derbi Foundation was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Derbi Foundation based?
Derbi Foundation is headquartered in Bangalore, India, in the Asia region.
How does Derbi Foundation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Program Funding is the primary driver. The others are incubation and Acceleration Program Services.
Who are Derbi Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are C-CAMP (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms), NSRCEL (IIT Bangalore), InnAccel Acceleration, Social Alpha and CIIE.CO (IIM Ahmedabad). Broad incumbents are T-Hub and IIT Madras Research Park. Emerging players are Forge (Bangalore) and 91springboard. Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is listed as a regional player.
Does Derbi Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Derbi Foundation.
What industry is Derbi Foundation in?
Derbi Foundation's product category is Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8742.