Maharashtra State Innovation Society

What Maharashtra State Innovation Society does

Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS) is a nodal government agency established under the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, headquartered in Mumbai. Founded in 2017, MSInS serves as the state's central coordinator for innovation-driven entrepreneurship, operating a multi-program platform that supports early-stage and growth-stage startups, business incubators, women entrepreneurs, and government departments seeking innovative solutions. The society is chaired by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra (Devendra Fadnavis) and led by CEO Dr. Shrikant Patil, with governance involvement from an Additional Chief Secretary (IAS) and an Hon'ble Minister for the parent department.

MSInS does not operate a commercial revenue model. Instead, it functions as a state-funded catalyst, disbursing grants, work orders, and reimbursements. Its core offerings span several layers: (i) funding vehicles including the SEBI-registered Maharashtra Innovation and Technological Development Fund (MITDF) as a Category-I AIF, the Maharashtra Social Venture Fund, the Maharashtra Defence and Aerospace Fund, and the Ambedkar Special Package Scheme for SC/ST entrepreneurs; (ii) programmatic accelerators and competitions such as Maharashtra Startup Week (with work orders up to Rs 15 lakh), Maharashtra Grand Challenge (currently focused on the Fisheries Department), and Startup Yatra (a grassroots outreach covering 358 blocks across 36 districts); (iii) reimbursement schemes covering IPR filings (up to Rs 2 lakh domestic / Rs 10 lakh international) and 80% of quality testing costs up to Rs 2 lakh; and (iv) dedicated infrastructure including a network of 136 incubators and 44 accelerators, a women-focused incubator at SNDT Women's University, and a proposed Center of Excellence at ITI Govandi in partnership with HP.

The society's go-to-market is ecosystem-mediated rather than commercial: it partners with SIDBI for financial backing, AWS and Microsoft for technology credits, Indian Angel Network and Mumbai Angels for investment flow-through, and SINE IIT Bombay as a flagship incubator. Beyond startup support, MSInS is increasingly positioned as a regional development instrument, exemplified by the Viksit Nagpur 2047 Sustainable Development Plan, which projects Rs 5.25 lakh crore of investment and over 9 lakh jobs through partnerships with VNIT, IIM Nagpur, and the Wadhwani Foundation, and by a proposed rare earth metals innovation centre for Vidarbha. Ecosystem scale currently comprises 30,834 registered startups.

Name

Maharashtra State Innovation Society

Legal name

Maharashtra State Innovation Society

Website

https://msins.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maharashtra State Innovation Society is a Government of Maharashtra nodal agency that funds, incubates, and supports the state's startup and innovation ecosystem, operating programs like MITDF, Startup Week, and Startup Yatra.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Innovation and Startup Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Public Finance Activities (92113)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL), National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC), State/Provincial Education Department Administration (BPAIABAJ)

Keywords

• Government innovation agency
• Startup ecosystem support
• Venture capital fund management
• Incubation program funding
• Policy implementation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Maharashtra State Innovation Society is a nodal government agency that designs, funds, and implements support schemes for the state's startup and innovation ecosystem. It provides grants, reimbursements, venture capital funding via the SEBI-registered MITDF, incubation infrastructure, mentorship, IPR and quality testing reimbursement, accelerator competitions, and dedicated programs for women entrepreneurs, all funded through Government of Maharashtra allocations.

Product overview

Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS) is a nodal government agency under the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra. It operates as a multi-program platform rather than a single product, offering a comprehensive suite of startup support services. The ecosystem includes 136 incubators, 44 accelerators, and over 30,000 registered startups. Core programs include the Maharashtra Startup Week (accelerator), Maharashtra Grand Challenge (problem-solving competitions), and Startup Yatra (grassroots innovation scouting). Financial support is provided through the SEBI-registered MITDF venture fund and various specialized funds including Social Venture Fund and Defence & Aerospace Fund. Direct assistance programs cover IPR filing reimbursement, quality testing/certification support, and incubation funding. The Women Entrepreneurship Cell provides dedicated support for women-led startups through specialized acceleration, mentorship, and a women-focused incubator at SNDT Women's University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maharashtra Grand Challenge
• Quality Testing and Certification Scheme
• Incubation Program
• Maharashtra Social Venture Fund
• Maharashtra Defence and Aerospace Fund
• Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Special Package Scheme
• Maharashtra State Startup Week
• Maharashtra Startup Yatra
• Women Entrepreneurship Cell (WEC)
• IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) Scheme
• Maharashtra Innovation and Technological Development Fund (MITDF)

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,834 startups supported in ecosystem
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ATITHI FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026MoU signed between MITRA and ATITHI Foundation for tourism knowledge-sharing and stakeholder partnerships within Maharashtra's tourism ecosystem.
• MITRA (Maharashtra Institution for Transformation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2026Strategic partner for Viksit Nagpur 2047 Sustainable Development Plan. MITRA presents transformation roadmaps for Nagpur division development.
• VNIT NagpurcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2026MoU signed for research and institutional collaboration under Viksit Nagpur 2047 plan for defence, minerals, and green industry hub development.
• IIM NagpurcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2026MoU signed for research and institutional collaboration under Viksit Nagpur 2047 sustainable development plan.
• Wadhwani FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2026MoU signed for research and institutional collaboration under Viksit Nagpur 2047 plan.
• HP (Hewlett-Packard)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2025Partnership for establishing Center of Excellence (CoE) at ITI, Govandi. HP provides technology and support for skill development and startup incubation.
• 91springboardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-working and incubation partner providing workspace for startups.
• SINE IIT BombaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnology business incubator at IIT Bombay, part of the state-wide network of 136 incubators.
• SNDT Women's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated women-focused incubator partnership for Women Entrepreneurship Cell support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MSInSociety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCocqBhWb0xKDrm8FRfhaF6w
• Facebookfacebook.com/MSInSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msins/?originalSubdomain=in
• Instagraminstagram.com/msinsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maharashtra State Innovation Society