The Department of Science and Technology has set up 15 Inclusive Technology Business Incubators across universities and higher educational institutions to widen access to innovation and entrepreneurship beyond metropolitan centres. One such incubator at Delhi Technological University was reviewed during a recent visit, where its role in supporting student innovators and startups was brought into light.
Inclusive Innovation Push
The Inclusive Technology Business Incubator, or i-TBI, is part of the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations programme. It is designed to support knowledge-based startups, with special focus on inclusivity and women-led innovation. The initiative aims to ensure that innovation opportunities reach smaller towns, aspirational districts and non-metro regions.
DTU Incubator Performance
The DTU-based i-TBI has incubated 15 startups so far. It functions under the DTU Innovation and Incubation Foundation and provides end-to-end support to early-stage ventures. This includes mentoring, infrastructure, prototyping facilities and access to funding. The incubator has become a campus-based platform for converting academic research into market-ready solutions.
Startup Grants and Support
Three startups from DTU received Startup Ignition Grants of ₹5 lakh each under the DST-NIDHI framework. These grants are meant to support early product development and commercialisation. The support is catalytic in nature and is intended to encourage risk-taking among young entrepreneurs at the idea and prototype stage.
Policy and Institutional Framework
The broader innovation ecosystem is supported by schemes such as FIST, PURSE and NIDHI. The government has stressed that universities should evolve into hubs of research, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration. The model also seeks to attract private investment, diversify funding sources and strengthen the link between academic research and societal impact.
Last Modified: April 25, 2026