AIC Banasthali

What AIC Banasthali does

AIC Banasthali is a non-profit business incubator established in 2017 at Banasthali Vidyapith University in Rajasthan, India, operating under the Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog as India's first and largest women-centric business incubator. It serves women-led startups across Science & Technology and DeepTech verticals including Biotechnology, Life Sciences, MedTech, Manufacturing, and IoT, offering an integrated platform of core incubation (mentorship, business support, market access, regulatory guidance, funding readiness), lab infrastructure access across Bioscience, Chemistry, Physical Sciences, and Pharmacy labs, IP protection services, and special programs such as the Banasthali Alumni Startup Incubation Program, SAMRIDH Accelerator, GDC I-NITIATE with IIT Madras, Hackverse hackathons, and the Battery Energy Fellowship with Innovation Norway.

The incubator's technical footprint is anchored in state-of-the-art lab equipment (HPLC, FTIR, NMR, Real-Time PCR, Raman Imaging, XRD, Sputtering systems) housed within the Banasthali Vidyapith campus, providing DeepTech startups with hardware access that would otherwise require significant capital outlays. Its go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven: an E-Cell engaging over 23,000 women, a four-stage student membership program (Synergy, Explore, Test, Propel), and Build Club BV drive a top-of-funnel pipeline that converts promising founders into incubated cohorts. Strategic partnerships with government bodies - NITI Aayog, DST (NIDHI-PRAYAS, NIDHI-Seed), DPIIT (Startup India Seed Fund), MeitY (TIDE 2.0, SAMRIDH), and international partners including Innovation Norway and TERI - provide capital channeling, regulatory support, and credentialing.

AIC Banasthali operates as a 4-person core team (CEO, Assistant Vice President, Senior Program Manager, Incubation Executive) supported by an 11-member advisory board including university leadership. Since inception it has supported 182 startups, of which 117 have collectively raised over Rs. 2,101 Mn (Rs. 2,409 Mn per recent impact metric), generated 148 IPs, created 3,000+ jobs, and engaged 30,000+ women through outreach programs. Revenue is structurally negligible at the incubator level: it relies primarily on government grant inflows and charges a nominal Rs. 20,000 fee for its Alumni Startup Incubation Program, classifying it as a mission-driven, grant-funded entity rather than a commercial venture.

Name

AIC Banasthali

Legal name

Atal Incubation Centre - AIC Banasthali Vidyapith University

Website

https://aicbanasthali.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AIC Banasthali is a NITI Aayog-supported non-profit business incubator at Banasthali Vidyapith University, India, supporting 182 women-led startups in Science & Technology and DeepTech sectors through mentorship, R&D lab access, IP services, and government grant channeling (DST, MeitY, DPIIT).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Women entrepreneurship support
• R&D laboratory infrastructure
• Deeptech startup acceleration
• Government funding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tonk

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Incubation Program Fees: The incubator charges a program fee of Rs. 20,000/- for the 4-month Alumni Startup Incubation Program. This is a nominal fee covering access to mentorship, co-working space, R&D facilities, and startup support services.
2. Government Grants and Support: AIC Banasthali operates as a non-profit incubator supported by NITI Aayog, Department of Science & Technology (DST), DPIIT, and MeitY. It channels government funding programs including NIDHI-PRAYAS (up to Rs. 10 lakhs for prototyping), Startup India Seed Fund (up to Rs. 50 lakhs), and MeitY TIDE 2.0 grants to women-led startups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AIC Banasthali is a non-profit government-backed business incubator providing incubation, mentorship, R&D lab access, and channeled government funding to women-led startups in Science & Technology and DeepTech sectors. It runs core incubation programs (main Incubation, Alumni Startup Incubation) and specialized programs (Hackverse hackathon, WEDP, SAMRIDH Accelerator, GDC I-NITIATE, Fellowship Grant in Battery Energy, Banasthali Innovation Award) supported by lab infrastructure in Bioscience, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Physical Sciences and Pharmacy, plus IP services and regulatory services.

Product overview

AIC Banasthali is India’s premier Business Incubator solely supporting women-led startups in Science & Technology including DeepTech. The organization operates as an integrated platform offering multiple interconnected programs and services: (1) Core Incubation Services providing mentorship, business support, market access, and R&D lab facilities in Bioscience, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Physical Sciences; (2) Specialized Programs including Hackverse (hackathon), Fellowship Grant in Battery Energy, WEDP (Women Entrepreneurship Development Program), SAMRIDH Accelerator, Banasthali Innovation Award, and GDC I-NITIATE; (3) Targeted offerings for Banasthali alumni and students such as the Alumni Startup Incubation Program, Build Club BV, and E-Cell Membership; (4) Funding Support through MeitY TIDE 2.0, DST NIDHI PRAYAS, NIDHI-SEED, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, and MeitY SAMRIDH; (5) Supporting services including IP Services and Regulatory Services (clinical trials, pre-clinical). The portfolio spans from idea-stage support through acceleration and scale-up, with strong emphasis on science-based, technology-driven ventures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• E-Cell Banasthali: Entrepreneurship Cell managed by students at Banasthali Vidyapith focusing on promoting entrepreneurship across the university.
• Build Club BV

Products and services

• Incubation Program Core incubation offering for women-led startups in Science & Technology and DeepTech, providing mentorship from domain experts, business support services, market access through corporate and government connections, funding opportunities from AIC and investor network, technology transfer, regulatory and compliance support, and access to world-class R&D Labs (BioTech, Pharmacy, Electronics, Mechatronics, AI).
• Banasthali Alumni Startup Incubation Program A 4-month hybrid startup incubation program exclusively for startups founded or co-founded by Banasthali Vidyapith alumni. Includes 4 physical sessions (2-day weekend sessions), 6 virtual learning sessions, 1:1 intensive mentoring, access to co-working space, R&D facilities, IP and technology commercialization support, peer-to-peer learning, and funding readiness support. Program fee: Rs. 20,000/-.
• Build Club BV A student-led hands-on learning community that helps college students learn product development by building real products. Bridges the gap between theoretical education and industry-ready practical skills through workshops, mentorship sessions, hackathons, and collaborative projects.
• E-Cell Membership Program Four-stage student membership program (Synergy, Explore, Test, Propel) providing Banasthali students access to workshops, webinars, expert sessions, pitching opportunities, networking with alumni entrepreneurs and industry leaders, skill-building workshops, and mini hackathons.
• Hackverse 2025 30-hour hackathon organized in collaboration with HackWithIndia (India's largest hackathon community) and Devnovate (technology partner providing problem statements and internship opportunities), designed to challenge engineering and management students to develop innovative solutions through corporate partnerships.
• Fellowship Grant in Battery Energy Fellowship program supported by Innovation Norway and The Royal Norwegian Embassy, offering mentorship and financial support to innovators in battery energy storage. The fellowship consists of two 3-month phases with candidates hosted at AIC and TERI, New Delhi, including mentorship on SDG awareness, entrepreneurial skills, and circular economy concepts.
• WEDP (Women Entrepreneurship Development Program) 2024-25 4-week women entrepreneurship development program supported by DST, Government of India, tailored for aspiring women entrepreneurs, students and research scholars of Sciences, Management & Technology at Banasthali Vidyapith.
• SAMRIDH Accelerator Program 4-month acceleration program in collaboration with MeitY Startup Hub offering matching contribution support of up to Rs. 40 lakh, focusing on MedTech, HealthTech, CleanTech and emerging technologies with expert diagnostic sessions, mentoring, and demo day opportunities.
• GDC I-NITIATE Program Transformative 2-week entrepreneurship program designed to foster entrepreneurial thinking among academic faculty, researchers, and students while enhancing their business acumen. Includes online onboarding, face-to-face workshops, expert interviews, and online closing workshop. Developed in partnership with the Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (GDC) at IIT Madras.
• Lab Infrastructure Services Access to world-class R&D facilities spanning Bioscience and Biotechnology labs (Gradient PCR, AAS, Gas Chromatography, HPLC, Real Time PCR, FTIR, Fermenters, Nikon Research Microscopes), Chemistry labs (Solar Simulator, NMR, Surface Area Analyzer, UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometer, Electrochemical Work Station, Zeta Sizer, CHNS Analyzer), Physical Science labs (Slot Die Coater, D33 Meter, RF/DC Sputtering, Raman Imaging Microscope, XRD), and Pharmacy labs (Micro Plate Reader).
• IP Services Intellectual property support services for incubated startups including technology sourcing and scouting, IP protection through patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyrights, geographical indications, plant variety protection, biological diversity laws, regulatory advisory, and IP litigation — delivered via partners CCAMP (technology sourcing and licensing outreach) and SwaSh Legal Consultants.
• Regulatory Services Regulatory support services including clinical trials facilitation and pre-clinical research support for healthcare and life-sciences startups navigating complex regulatory pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• 182 women-led startups supported with 117 raising over Rs. 2101 Mn in funding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NITI AayogcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIC Banasthali is supported by NITI Aayog as an Atal Incubation Centre. NITI Aayog provides government backing and recognition as part of the Atal Innovation Mission to foster startup ecosystem development across India.
• Department of Science & Technology (DST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDST supports AIC Banasthali through NIDHI-PRAYAS (Rajasthan 1st and only center) and NIDHI-Seed Support Scheme, providing prototyping grants up to Rs. 10 lakhs and seed funding for women-led startups.
• DPIIT - Startup IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIC Banasthali is one of the few incubators in Rajasthan supported by Startup India Seed Fund Scheme of DPIIT, providing seed funding up to Rs. 50 lakhs for early-stage women-led innovators.
• MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIC Banasthali partners with MeitY for TIDE 2.0 program (Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs) providing E-i-R grants up to Rs. 4 lakhs and seed fund up to Rs. 7 lakhs. Also partners for SAMRIDH accelerator program with matching contribution up to Rs. 40 lakh.
• Innovation Norway and The Royal Norwegian EmbassycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Fellowship Grant in Battery Energy Storage programme. 12 fellowships awarded with mentorship from AICs and TERI on SDG awareness, entrepreneurial skills, and circular economy concepts.
• GDC (Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship) at IIT MadrascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGDC, established in 2017 at IIT Madras, partners with AIC Banasthali for the GDC I-NITIATE program - a 2-week transformative entrepreneurship immersion program for academic faculty, researchers, and students.
• TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTERI partners with AIC Banasthali for the Battery Energy Fellowship program, providing mentorship on sustainable development goals and entrepreneurial skills.
• Ministry of Skill Development & EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides trained entrepreneurship educators and supports various entrepreneurship development programs at AIC Banasthali.
• SwaSh Legal ConsultantsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal consultants providing IP rights protection including patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyrights, geographical indications, plant variety protection, biological diversity laws, regulatory advisory, and IP litigation services.
• HackWithIndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia's largest hackathon community partnering with AIC Banasthali for Hackverse 2025, a 30-hour hackathon for engineering and management students.
• DevnovateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner for Hackverse hackathon providing problem statements and internship opportunities for participating students.
• Wadhwani FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWadhwani Foundation provides trained entrepreneurship educators and supports entrepreneurship education at AIC Banasthali.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IIT Bombay SINE: SINE is an early-stage incubator hosted at IIT Bombay that provides office space, lab access, mentorship, and seed funding for technology and science-led startups — directly comparable to AIC Banasthali's university-anchored, science-and-tech-incubation model.
• NSRCEL (IIM Bangalore): NSRCEL is IIM Bangalore's startup incubator running structured programs with mentorship, funding readiness, and partner networks for early-stage ventures; similar in program structure and government/university backing to AIC Banasthali.
• Villgro Innovations: Villgro is one of India's oldest social enterprise and science-tech incubators providing funding, mentorship, and lab support to impact-oriented startups; closely comparable in deeptech/health/sustainability focus and operating from a non-profit base similar to AIC Banasthali.
• CIIE.CO (IIM Ahmedabad): CIIE is a university-anchored (IIM-A) technology and impact incubator offering incubation, acceleration, and seed funding — comparable in its institutional backing and structured program model to AIC Banasthali.

Emerging players

• MeitY Startup Hub: MeitY's pan-India startup hub funds and accelerates hardware/deeptech startups, overlapping with AIC Banasthali's TIDE 2.0 and SAMRIDH programs; both channel MeitY funding, but MSH operates as a broader funder-network rather than a single-incubation model.
• 91springboard: 91springboard is a coworking-led startup community and pre-incubation hub across India providing space and basic mentorship; overlaps with the Build Club BV / E-Cell community motion at AIC Banasthali, though it does not run government-funded startup programs.

Others

• Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog): The umbrella program under which AIC Banasthali operates, supporting Atal Incubation Centres and Atal Tinkering Labs across India; the parent ecosystem whose funding and recognition pipeline directly enables AIC Banasthali.
• CCAMP (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms): CCAMP is a Bangalore-based life-sciences innovation hub that supports biotech startups with lab facilities, technology sourcing, and IP support — directly comparable to AIC Banasthali's bioscience/biotech lab infrastructure and IP partner services.

Broad incumbents

• FITT (IIT Delhi): Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer at IIT Delhi runs incubation and seed-fund programs for IIT Delhi-affiliated founders; a comparable academic-embedded deeptech incubator with similar funding-channel structure.
• T-Hub: India's largest startup incubator based in Hyderabad; operates similarly as an Atal-style ecosystem builder supporting tech and deeptech founders with mentorship and government linkages, but with a much larger cohort and broader sector focus than AIC Banasthali.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@atalincubationcentrebanast3594?si=SqHZBkKYuW4lTfCK
• Facebookfacebook.com/Atal-Incubation-Centre-Banasthali-Vidyapith-454930811570608
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aicbanasthali
• Instagraminstagram.com/aic_banasthali?igsh=MTUzZWtjbG54M3lsbg==

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments3 records

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Frequently asked questions about AIC Banasthali