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The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has launched the first edition of the National Incubator Capacity Building Program under the Startup India initiative to accelerate the growth of the Indian startup ecosystem.

The three-month mentorship and advisory support programme aims to support the growth of incubators across the country and build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups. It is designed to help incubators become sustainable by providing knowledge resources and tools for entrepreneurs to grow.

The initiative is aimed at developing customised business models for incubators and organising masterclasses and workshops on managing the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS). The programme will also offer access to VITALS (Villgro Information Tracking and Learning System), a technology-based information system for tracking the incubation of enterprises.

Incubator business advisors, including Paul Basil, Mohammad Azhar, Chand Das, Rama Kannan, and Arun Venkatesan, will mentor and guide up to 20 incubators in a three-phased cohort-based hybrid capacity development programme, which will include self-learning modules and in-person sessions.

“There is a dire need for efficient incubators that can support the vibrant startup community and scale innovative solutions,” Prashant Prakash, Member of National Startup Advisory Council, said. “We are delighted to launch this programme, which will help us identify our first cohort of visionary incubators and enable them to create impact at scale.”

Qualifying incubators can apply by March 25 and must be incorporated or registered in India, with a special focus on early-stage startups, having a minimum of five employees and at least five startups.