Electricity transmission infrastructure at sunset — government-backed energy programmes

Government Climate Grants India

The Indian government is the largest non-dilutive climate funder in the country: MNRE runs the ₹19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission and a dedicated ₹100 crore startup fund, DST funds climate research through SUTRA-PIC, BIRAC backs climate-biotech through BIG and SEED, and Startup India operates seed funds that any registered startup can apply to.

The catch is discoverability. Each ministry runs its own portal, its own call cycle, and its own eligibility. Below is every live government climate grant we track, sorted by deadline, with verified links to the official application page.

Renewable Energy GrantsClean Energy GrantsGreen Hydrogen GrantsBIRAC & DBT GrantsNon-Dilutive FundingAll Grants

Open Now

MeitY TIDE 2.0 — Climate Change Innovation Grant
GrantOngoing

MeitY TIDE 2.0 — Climate Change Innovation Grant

₹7 LakhMeitY (Ministry of Electronics & IT)
Rolling — check funder
MNRE Startup Incubation in Renewable Energy Sector
GrantOngoing

MNRE Startup Incubation in Renewable Energy Sector

₹25 Lakh (per startup)MNRE (Ministry of New & Renewable Energy)
Rolling — check funder
TDB India-Finland Joint Innovation Call 2026
Grant5d left!

TDB India-Finland Joint Innovation Call 2026

₹2.5 CrTDB (Technology Development Board) / DST
Closes: 2026-09-30
BIRAC SEED Fund — Biotech Startup Seed Funding
GrantOngoing

BIRAC SEED Fund — Biotech Startup Seed Funding

₹1 CrBIRAC / DBT
Rolling — check funder
DBT-BIRAC Bio-AI Grant — BioE3 Biomanufacturing Hubs
GrantOngoing

DBT-BIRAC Bio-AI Grant — BioE3 Biomanufacturing Hubs

₹1 Cr (per hub)BIRAC / DBT
Rolling — check funder
DST NIDHI-PRAYAS Prototyping Grant
GrantOngoing

DST NIDHI-PRAYAS Prototyping Grant

₹10 LakhDST (Department of Science & Technology)
Rolling — check funder
DST Waste Management Technologies (WMT) Program
GrantOngoing

DST Waste Management Technologies (WMT) Program

₹50 LakhDST (Department of Science & Technology)
Rolling — check funder
BIRAC LEAP Fund — Launching Entrepreneurial Driven Affordable Products
GrantOngoing

BIRAC LEAP Fund — Launching Entrepreneurial Driven Affordable Products

₹1 CrBIRAC / DBT
Rolling — check funder
DST Climate Change Programme (SUTRA-PIC)
GrantOngoing

DST Climate Change Programme (SUTRA-PIC)

₹50 LakhDST (Department of Science & Technology)
Rolling — check funder
BIRAC BIG (Biotechnology Ignition Grant)
GrantOngoing

BIRAC BIG (Biotechnology Ignition Grant)

₹50 LakhBIRAC / DBT
Rolling — check funder
IIT Mandi Catalyst — NIDHI Seed Support (SSS) Grant
GrantOngoing

IIT Mandi Catalyst — NIDHI Seed Support (SSS) Grant

₹50 LakhIIT Mandi Catalyst / DST
Rolling — check funder
C-CAMP — BIRAC SEED Scheme (Climate & Biotech)
GrantOngoing

C-CAMP — BIRAC SEED Scheme (Climate & Biotech)

₹50 LakhC-CAMP / BIRAC
Rolling — check funder
ICAR-NAARM a-IDEA — Agri-Business Incubation (NAIF-ABI)
GrantOngoing

ICAR-NAARM a-IDEA — Agri-Business Incubation (NAIF-ABI)

₹1 CrICAR-NAARM a-IDEA
Rolling — check funder
D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge (DBT-BIRAC)
Grant25 days

D.E.S.I.G.N. for BioE3 Challenge (DBT-BIRAC)

₹1L – ₹25LDBT / BIRAC / BRIC-ILS
Closes: 2026-10-20
Innovative Projects Startup Grand Challenge — Rooftop Solar & DRE (PM Surya Ghar)
GrantOngoing

Innovative Projects Startup Grand Challenge — Rooftop Solar & DRE (PM Surya Ghar)

₹2.3 Cr prize pool (1st: ₹1 Cr)MNRE / Startup India (PM Surya Ghar)
Rolling — check funder
Circular Bharat Accelerator — NSRCEL (NITI Aayog + HUL)
AcceleratorOngoing

Circular Bharat Accelerator — NSRCEL (NITI Aayog + HUL)

Grant support (milestone-based)NSRCEL IIM Bangalore / NITI Aayog / HUL / Xynteo
Rolling — check funder
SAMRIDH (MeitY) — Startup Accelerator Program
AcceleratorOngoing

SAMRIDH (MeitY) — Startup Accelerator Program

₹40 Lakh (matching support)MeitY (Ministry of Electronics & IT)
Rolling — check funder
DST Water Technology Initiative (WTI)
GrantOngoing

DST Water Technology Initiative (WTI)

Up to ₹7 Cr (varies by call)DST (Department of Science & Technology)
Rolling — check funder
DST NIDHI Seed Support System (NIDHI-SSS)
GrantOngoing

DST NIDHI Seed Support System (NIDHI-SSS)

₹1 CrDST (Department of Science & Technology)
Rolling — check funder
Concentrating Solar Thermal for Indian Industry — MNRE R&D Call (RE-RTD)
Grant12 days

Concentrating Solar Thermal for Indian Industry — MNRE R&D Call (RE-RTD)

Up to ₹2 Cr per project (up to 50% Viability Gap Funding)Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India
Closes: 2026-10-07
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
GrantOngoing

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)

₹50 LakhDPIIT / Startup India
Rolling — check funder

Recently Closed & Past Cycles

Past programs that show the shape of this funding space. Most run again — watch the funder page or our digest for the next window.

GCI-BIRAC Open Call (infectious disease priorities)

BIRAC

Grand Challenges India call, extended to 15 July 2026 then closed. BIRAC runs these calls in cycles — the CfP page lists the next open call.

Funder page →

IHFC (IIT Delhi) — UdyogTech Synapse 2026

IHFC (Technology Innovation Hub, IIT Delhi)

Government-supported deep-tech manufacturing call, closed 31 July 2026. Illustrates how DST and ministry funds flow through incubator partners.

PM Surya Ghar — Muft Bijli Yojana Startup Challenge

MNRE

Rooftop solar startup challenge under the national rooftop programme. The challenge ran in windows during 2025-26 — watch for the next edition.

How to Apply

Frequently asked questions

Which government body gives climate grants to startups?

The main ones: MNRE (green hydrogen, renewable energy), DST (climate research and prototyping via SUTRA-PIC and NIDHI), BIRAC and DBT (climate-biotech and bioeconomy), MeitY (TIDE 2.0 for climate tech), and DPIIT/Startup India (seed funds). All are non-dilutive.

Do government climate grants take equity?

No. Government schemes are grants-in-aid: non-dilutive and non-repayable. Some accelerators attached to government programmes may offer follow-on investment on separate terms, but the grant itself takes no equity.

How long does a government grant application take?

Expect 3-6 months from submission to disbursement for most schemes. The evaluation includes a technical screen and often a presentation. Plan your runway so the grant is bridge funding, not lifeline funding.