AssisTech Foundation Launches India’s First Startup India Seed Fund for AT Startups
Bangalore, July 17, 2025 – AssisTech Foundation (ATF), India’s pioneering Assistive Technology ecosystem enabler, has set up India’s first and exclusive Startup India Seed Fund for AT startups under Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) through the support of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India, wherein a capital pool of INR 5 Crores will be invested in 32 AT startups in the next 3 years. This dedicated fund aims to support early-stage startups in the Assistive Technology (AT) space by providing crucial seed capital for innovation, prototyping, and market entry.
Startups chosen under the scheme have a provision of grant, equity and debt where they can apply for grants up to ₹20 lakhs and equity investment up to ₹50 lakhs.
Prateek Madhav, CEO & Co-Founder, AssisTech Foundation said, “The launch of the SISFS Fund for Assistive Technology (AT) start-ups marks a significant milestone in the AT ecosystem. This dedicated fund will provide much-needed early-stage capital to AT start-ups, enabling them to validate ideas, build prototypes, and accelerate market entry. By leveraging the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, ATF aims to bridge the critical funding gap faced by entrepreneurs working to empower persons with disabilities. This initiative reinforces ATF’s long-standing commitment to nurturing impactful solutions that drive accessibility and independence, while helping to build a more inclusive and equitable society through the power of technology.”
Through its support for early-stage innovators under the scheme, ATF advances its strategic vision of strengthening the Assistive Technology (AT) innovation pipeline in India. By providing targeted seed funding, ATF is helping build a robust, self-sustaining ecosystem that effectively addresses the real-world needs of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
To apply under the scheme, a start up must be DPIIT-recognized and incorporated within the last 2 years. It should not have received more than ₹10 lakh in monetary support from any other Central/State government scheme and have at least 51% Indian promoter shareholding at the time of application.
Startups creating innovative solutions that empower persons with disabilities and promote inclusive living are encouraged to apply.
Learn more about the eligibility criteria and apply at: https://seedfund.startupindia.
About AssisTech Foundation
AssisTech Foundation (ATF) is India’s first Assistive Technology (AT) ecosystem enabler that focuses on empowering Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) by enabling Learning, Livelihood, and Living opportunities (3Ls of Empowerment). ATF does it by harnessing the power of AT and supporting the development of innovative technology products and services. In a span of 6 years, ATF has impacted the lives of over 1 million Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) through its high-impact programs and initiatives and has established a network of over 500 AT Startups in the country. ATF is accelerating 54 AT Startups as a part of the portfolio, who have collectively developed 110+ AT products and secured over 50 patents.
Ideapreneur India is a media platform that covers stories of inspiring entrepreneurs and businesses that are challenging the norms and changing the rules of the game. We are moving towards creating a complete platform that can be valuable for the entrepreneur community to start, run and scale their enterprises. We strive to explore the latest in the world of startups and technology news At Ideapreneur India, we plan to focus our efforts in three main areas of Stories, Networking and Mentorship. 