What Amrita Technology Business Incubator does

Amrita Technology Business Incubator (Amrita TBI) is a non-profit startup incubator established in 2008 as a joint venture between Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. It supports early-stage and growth-stage technology startups across AI/ML, cybersecurity, IoT, blockchain, fintech, ed-tech, health-tech, and deep tech sectors through a combination of seed funding (up to INR 1 crore per startup), co-working spaces across three campuses (Kollam HQ, Bengaluru, Coimbatore), virtual incubation, and its in-house Fab Lab for hardware prototyping (3D printing, PCB printing, CNC, laser cutting, IoT kits). The incubator manages multiple government-funded schemes including NIDHI-EIR, NIDHI-PRAYAS, MeitY Startup Hub Genesis (Matching Investment, Pilot, EIR), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and an MSME program.

The business model is non-profit and grant-funded: Amrita TBI does not charge incubatees traditional fees and operates through government scheme disbursements and parent university support. It has incubated 320 startups that have collectively raised $330 million+ USD, filed 145+ patents, and trained 20,000 individuals, supported by 80+ mentors spanning India, Silicon Valley, and Singapore. Notable portfolio outcomes include Yellow Messenger ($78M raised), EMO Energy (Rs 860 Cr valuation), MiQasa (acquired by Smartron for $1M), and Agatsa Software (DCGI-approved pocket ECG). Designated one of only six world-class incubators under NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission and winner of the 2017 National Award for Best Startup Incubator from the President of India, Amrita TBI positions itself as a bridge between government funding programs, university research infrastructure, and commercial startup outcomes.

Name

Amrita Technology Business Incubator

Legal name

Amrita Technology Business Incubator

Website

https://amritatbi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Amrita Technology Business Incubator is a non-profit, university-anchored startup incubator jointly supported by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and India's DST, providing seed funding (up to INR 1 crore), co-working spaces in three cities, Fab Lab prototyping, and mentorship to 320+ early-stage and growth-stage technology startups across AI, deep tech, IoT, health-tech, and cybersecurity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Technology business incubator
• Seed funding programs
• Mentorship and advisory
• Prototyping lab facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Bengaluru

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Incubation & Program Fees: As a non-profit incubator, Amrita TBI does not charge traditional fees from incubatees. The incubator is supported by Govt. of India and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, operating through government grants and seed support system programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Amrita TBI is a non-profit startup incubator that funds, mentors, and nurtures technology startups from idea to growth stage. It provides scaled seed funding up to INR 1 crore per startup, co-working spaces at campuses in Kollam, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore, access to a Fab Lab and 100+ multidisciplinary research labs, mentorship from a network of 80+ global mentors, and routes startups through government-backed programs including MeitY Startup Hub Genesis, NIDHI-EIR, NIDHI-PRAYAS, Startup India Seed Fund, and the Berkeley SkyDeck international accelerator partnership.

Product overview

Amrita TBI is a non-profit startup incubator offering a comprehensive ecosystem of programs and facilities for technology startups. The core offerings include an Incubation Program (up to INR 1 Crore funding) and an Accelerator Program (6-month intensive with up to $500K investment). The organization manages multiple government-funded programs including MeitY Startup Hub Genesis (Matching Investment, Pilot, and EIR programs), NIDHI-EIR, NIDHI-PRAYAS, Startup India Seed Fund, and MSME Program. Supporting infrastructure includes Fab Lab with prototyping facilities (3D printing, PCB, CNC, IoT) and a NextGen Lab for AI/cybersecurity. Additional programs include PitchFest (annual competition with up to $200K seed investment), Berkeley SkyDeck partnership for international exposure, Innovation Challenge for students, and Student Brand Ambassador Program. Virtual and physical incubation available across Kollam, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore campuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incubation Program Core startup incubation program providing funding up to INR 1 Crore per startup, co-working spaces, mentorship, and access to multidisciplinary labs at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham campuses in Kollam, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore. Physical and virtual incubation options available for up to 3 years.
• Accelerator Program 6-month intensive program for IT/software startups focused on customer development, go-to-market strategy, and preparing startups for Demo Day funding. Total investment outlay up to USD 500,000 USD.
• MeitY Startup Hub Genesis Matching Investment Funding 6-month acceleration program providing 1:1 matching investment up to Rs 50 Lakhs based on external funds raised. Helps startups connect with VCs and angel investors through a Demo Day.
• MeitY Startup Hub Genesis Pilot Program Funding program providing up to Rs 40 Lakhs for startups with pilot work orders from corporates/PSUs/unicorns to validate and demonstrate market-ready solutions in ICT, AI, electronic manufacturing, and deeptech sectors.
• NIDHI-EIR (Entrepreneur-in-Residence) Entrepreneur-in-Residence program providing monthly subsistence grant of Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 for 12 months to aspiring technology entrepreneurs. One of ten approved NIDHI-EIR centres in India.
• MeitY Startup Hub Genesis EIR Entrepreneur-in-Residence program providing grant up to Rs 10 Lakhs per year for early-stage startups in ideation, validation, or early stages. Focus on electronic design, deeptech software, and ICT.
• NIDHI-PRAYAS Idea to prototype support program providing grant up to Rs 10 Lakhs for building prototypes. Focus areas include manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, clean-tech, energy, water, and IoT.
• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) Partner incubator with DPIIT implementing SISFS with up to Rs 50 Lakhs for market entry/commercialization/scaling and up to Rs 20 Lakhs as grant for proof of concept/prototype development.
• Amrita TBI PitchFest Annual startup pitching competition providing seed investment up to USD 200,000, co-working space, mentorship, and networking with VCs and C-level executives. Includes 2-day event with top startups pitching to investor panel.
• Berkeley SkyDeck Program Partnership with UC Berkeley's Silicon Valley accelerator providing Indian startups USD 200K investment, access to 850+ advisors/mentors, global alumni network, and Demo Day pitch opportunity.
• MSME Program Support for Entrepreneurial and Managerial Development of SMEs providing grant up to Rs 6.25 Lakhs with possible further assistance up to Rs 15 Lakhs. Must be registered in Kerala.
• Amrita TBI Fab Lab Digital fabrication and prototyping facility with 3D printing, PCB printing, CNC manufacturing, metal working, IoT kits, electronic circuit testing, embedded computing, and networking devices. Includes NextGen Lab for AI, cybersecurity, and IoT testing.
• Innovation Challenge Student innovation competition celebrating innovations that make positive societal difference. Focus on developing critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills with exposure to state-of-the-art technologies.
• Student Brand Ambassador Program Program introduced in 2014 for students to work closely with startup support programs including PitchFest, Innovation Challenge, and other TBI events. Free access to events, networking opportunities, and certificates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 320 startups incubated; $330 million+ USD raised by portfolio startups; 5,000+ startup ideas mentored; 145+ patents filed; 20,000 individuals trained

Named customers11 records

Segments4 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TiE BengalurucoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017PitchFest partner; TiE Bengaluru supports Amrita TBI's startup events, providing mentorship, networking, and investor connections within the Indian startup ecosystem.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Cloud partner providing $1,000 AWS credit for incubated startups and $5,000 credit for funded startups. PitchFest partner.
• Google CloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Cloud partner providing $3,000 Google Cloud Credits for Amrita TBI incubated startups. PitchFest partner.
• Berkeley SkyDeckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Global accelerator partnership enabling Indian startups to access Silicon Valley ecosystem. $200K investment from Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, Demo Day pitching to 850+ investors, 850+ world-class advisors, and UC Berkeley alumni network of 600,000+. Deadline January 31, 2026.
• Amrita Vishwa VidyapeethamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Host institution and co-founder of Amrita TBI. India's No. 1 private university (Deemed to be University). Provides 100+ multidisciplinary labs, engineering/management student talent pool, and academic infrastructure across campuses in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• YourStoryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Startup media partner for PitchFest events. Provides coverage of Amrita TBI programs and startup stories.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• T-Hub (Telangana Hub): T-Hub is India's largest startup incubator/accelerator based in Hyderabad, supporting 2,000+ startups across technology sectors with government backing. It is the most direct comparable to Amrita TBI given its scale, government support, and focus on Indian tech founders.
• IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC): IITMIC is the technology business incubator at IIT Madras, one of India's leading engineering institutions. It supports deep-tech and hardware startups with lab access and seed funding, competing with Amrita TBI in southern India.
• IIT Delhi Innovation Park (FITT): The Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at IIT Delhi operates an innovation park supporting tech startups with funding and lab access. Comparable to Amrita TBI as a leading IIT/university-anchored incubator competing for deep-tech founders.
• CIIE.CO, IIM Ahmedabad: CIIE.CO is IIM Ahmedabad's technology incubator and seed-stage investor supporting early-stage Indian startups. Comparable to Amrita TBI as a premier university-anchored incubator with both programs and direct investment capacity.
• Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay: SINE is IIT Bombay's technology business incubator, offering incubation, funding, mentorship, and lab access to deep-tech startups. Like Amrita TBI, it leverages a top-tier technical university's infrastructure and is a direct competitor for deep-tech founders.
• IIIT Hyderabad iTIC Incubator: iTIC is IIIT Hyderabad's technology business incubator focused on AI/ML and emerging tech startups. Comparable to Amrita TBI for technology specialization, university ecosystem leverage, and southern India footprint.
• NSRCEL, IIM Bangalore: NSRCEL is the startup incubator at IIM Bangalore supporting early-stage and growth-stage ventures with mentorship, funding, and accelerator programs. Direct comparable to Amrita TBI given its university-anchor model and breadth of programs.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's most prominent startup accelerator providing seed funding, mentorship, and Demo Day investor access. While global rather than India-focused, it serves as the benchmark for what an accelerator/incubator operating model can achieve at scale.
• Techstars: Techstars is a global accelerator operating programs across multiple verticals with mentorship, funding, and corporate partner networks. Comparable to Amrita TBI as an established accelerator operator running multiple programs at scale.
• Nasscom 10,000 Startups: Nasscom's 10,000 Startups program supports Indian tech startups with ecosystem access, mentorship, and connections to enterprise customers. A broad incumbent in the Indian startup support ecosystem with overlapping goals to Amrita TBI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Amrita Technology Business Incubator