The Founders Meet - September 2026 Edition

Credit guarantee cover up to Rs 20 crore that lets banks, NBFCs and AIFs lend to DPIIT-recognised startups without collateral. You receive a loan and repay it. CGSS is not a grant.

Collateral-free credit guarantee up to ₹2 crore for micro & small enterprises

Collateral-free loans up to ₹20 lakh for micro and small non-farm businesses

Below-market soft loans from ₹10 lakh for MSMEs in manufacturing and services

Subordinate debt with 90% CGTMSE guarantee for stressed/NPA-classified MSMEs

Below-market NABARD loans for dairy cooperatives and producer companies for processing infrastructure

A global online hackathon focused on water health and sustainability, with a ₹2.79 lakh prize pool.

A global online hackathon for software and AI builders, with a $11,685 prize pool and a beginner-friendly, social-good focus.

A fully-online Finance × Trading hackathon by TechZap — ₹75,000 prize pool, Azure credits, and direct hiring rounds for top teams.

7th edition of India’s biggest student-startup competition (AWS × IDFC × Campus Fund) — get noticed, meet investors, and pitch at the Mumbai Grand Finale.

A 36-hour tech sprint at Manipal University Jaipur with 10 tracks and over ₹5 Lakhs in prizes.

A 24-hour global online programming competition by IEEE where student teams solve coding challenges for a USD 10,000 prize pool.

Financial support up to ₹3 lakhs for early-stage AIC-SKU incubated startups to develop working prototypes from validated ideas.

Grants of up to ₹50 lakh from C-CAMP and TANUH (IISc) for Indian startups building AI solutions for non-communicable diseases, from idea to deployment.

The iDEX Open Challenge invites Indian startups, innovators, and MSMEs to propose cutting-edge technologies and products for the defence and aerospace sectors, offering grants up to ₹1.5 crore and direct engagement with the military.

A global online hackathon by RevenueCat with a ₹3.95 crore prize pool — open to developers building mobile apps and games.

Microsoft × FITT IIT Delhi zero-equity grant up to ₹30 lakh for AI startups ready to scale a local pilot nationally — IIT Delhi & Microsoft ecosystem, market validation and Demo Days.

The Young Inventors Prize by EPO recognizes young innovators worldwide developing technology-driven solutions for global sustainability challenges, offering cash prizes up to €20,000 and global visibility.