herSTART 5.0 – Upto 50 Lakh | Empowering Women-Led Startups

1. Clearly highlight how your solution is innovative and original, and articulate the problem you are solving and why it matters for women-led development in India.

2. Emphasise women's ownership (at least 50% women-owned) and leadership in your startup, and show readiness to actively participate in the bootcamp and long-term incubation at GUSEC.

3. Use the official online application form only, ensure all details are complete and consistent, and be prepared to engage in virtual sessions and mentoring as part of the selection and support process.

Grant Application Direct URL

https://apply.herstart.in/

Most Recent Grants

Blockchain India Challenge – Get Up to ₹50 Lakh

Apply Now

An infographic poster for the BIRAC-RDI Fund depicting a glowing technological path transitioning from microscopic DNA and microchips to an industrial bioreactor, ending at a futuristic city skyline. Text highlights a ₹2,000 Crore financing window, offering ₹5 Cr to ₹200 Cr for deep-tech innovation and indigenous manufacturing.

BIRAC–RDI Fund – Research, Development and Innovation Fund

Apply Now

Let StartupMandi apply for this Grant on your behalf

Share your basic details and the StartupMandi Professional Team will review your eligibility and guide you through the application process

herSTART 5.0 is the fifth, impact-driven edition of the herSTART platform, an initiative of the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC) dedicated to empowering women-led startups in India. Designed as a larger, nationwide cohort, this edition focuses on providing women entrepreneurs with enhanced resources, structured mentorship, and long-term ecosystem support so they can transform innovative ideas into scalable ventures. With strong backing from central and state agencies, herSTART 5.0 aims to set new milestones for women-led startups across the country.

The broader herSTART platform, launched in 2019, has already supported thousands of women founders through incubation, acceleration and capacity-building initiatives. Official records highlight over 15,000 women entrepreneurs engaged online and offline, more than 2,000 women-led startups having undergone capacity-building, and over 200 mature women-led startups accelerated under herSTART, with 150+ actively scaling through the platform. In 2022, the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, formally launched the herSTART platform as a dedicated national initiative for women entrepreneurs at Gujarat University, underlining its strategic importance for women-led development.

For herSTART 5.0, selected women-led startups receive access to government grants and funds, up to two years of incubation support at GUSEC, structured mentorship and guidance, and curated networking and industry connects to accelerate business expansion. Participants benefit from technology resources, prototyping facilities, and a dedicated co-working space for women entrepreneurs, alongside single-window startup support tailored to their needs. The program is delivered under the herSTART accelerator framework, which has previously provided women-led startups with access to funding of up to ₹50 lakh, extensive cloud credits, and government-linked opportunities, positioning herSTART as one of India’s leading women-focused startup support platforms.

Eligibility

1. Applicant must be an Indian citizen (woman or female founder / core team member of a startup).
2. The business/startup must be at least 50% women-owned.
3. The idea or solution proposed should be innovative and original.
4. Any woman, female founder, or core team member of a startup who is an Indian national or citizen of India can apply, including those associated with existing startups.
5. Applications must be submitted online through the herSTART website using the official “Apply Now” process.
6. A female applicant may apply with more than one idea, but only one idea per applicant will be selected for the programme.
7. Selected startups are required to attend a structured bootcamp, which is planned to be conducted in virtual mode.
8. No explicit restrictions on incorporation date, revenue level, or sector are stated in the available official guidelines; women-led startups at different stages may apply subject to the above conditions.

Location Eligibility

Indian women entrepreneurs nationwide – applicants must be Indian citizens

Don't Miss the Offers