Shortlisted Startups

XR Startup
Program

A program to discover, nurture, and accelerate
XR technology startups across India.

About the program

XR Startup Program is a collaboration between Meta and MeitY Startup Hub (MSH). The program aims to accelerate India’s contribution towards building the foundations of the metaverse and nurturing the development of Extended Reality (XR) technologies in India.

The metaverse is the next generation of the internet. It will be a set of digital spaces, including 3D experiences that are all interconnected so people can easily move between them and will let people do things they could not do in the physical world. While the defining quality of the metaverse will be a feeling of presence, the defining technologies of the metaverse will be Extended Reality (XR), including Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR).

Click here to read more

Accelerator

About the Accelerator

The Accelerator will nurture and foster 40 early-stage startups working with XR technologies through a well-designed 6-month program. Each startup will get access to a number of benefits, including a grant of ₹ 20,00,000, mentorship by industry experts and researchers, access to a network of potential strategic partners and investors, technology and infrastructure support, and opportunities to participate and present at relevant industry events.

North zone

North zone - FITT

South zone

South zone - CIE IIITH

South zone

East zone - AIC-SMUTBI

South zone

West zone - GUSEC

Grand Challenge

About the Grand Challenge

The Grand Challenge is aimed at supporting early-stage innovators to upscale from the R&D phase to developing workable prototypes and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). It will include 4 sector-specific challenges to advance the XR technology ecosystem in India. A total of 80 shortlisted innovators will receive a grant of ₹ 50,000 and an opportunity to attend the bootcamp. Of the 80 shortlisted innovators, 16 innovators will be supported with grants worth ₹ 20,00,000 to help them develop MVP(s)/ prototypes. Benefits include mentorship by industry experts and researchers, access to a network of potential strategic partners and investors, technology and infrastructure support, and opportunities to participate and present at industry events.

South zone

Gaming & entertainment - CIE IIITH

South zone

Agritech & climate action, tourism and sustainability - AIC-SMUTBI

South zone

Education, learning and skills - GUSEC

South zone

Healthcare - FITT

Implementation partners

Frequently Asked Questions

Accelerator – You can select any 1 of the implementation partners mentioned above and click on the relevant link to learn more and apply. Participants will be required to visit the facility/ campus of the partner; hence, it is best to choose the partner situated in or closer to your region.

Grand Challenge – Depending on your focus area of innovation, you can select any 1 of the implementation partners mentioned above and click on the relevant link to learn more and apply.

Each implementation partner will establish a 3-member panel to evaluate and select the applications. Applications will then be discussed with the steering committee established by Meta in collaboration with MSH. More details are available on the website of the relevant implementation partner.

Under the Accelerator, 40 selected startups will receive the following benefits:

Grant of ₹ 20,00,000
Mentorship by industry experts and researchers
Access to a network of potential strategic partners and investors, along with technology and infrastructure support
Opportunities to participate and present at industry events

Under the Grand Challenge, 80 shortlisted innovators will receive the following benefits:

Opportunity to attend the bootcamp
Shortlist grant of ₹ 50,000 on successful completion of the bootcamp

Of the 80 shortlisted innovators, 16 will receive the following benefits:

Grant of ₹ 20,00,000 to be utilized solely for conversion of idea/ proof of concept to MVP(s)/ prototype
Mentorship by industry experts and researchers
Access to a network of potential strategic partners and investors, along with technology and infrastructure support
Opportunities to participate and present at industry events

For more details, visit the website of a relevant implementation partner.

The respective implementation partner can be contacted for queries on email:

FITT: tidefitt@gmail.com

CIE IIIT-H: incubation@iiith.org and cieoutreach@iiit.ac.in

GUSEC: programs@gusec.edu.in

SMU-TBI: contact@smutbi.com

For more details, visit the website of the relevant implementation partner.

The program terms and conditions are as below:

Accelerator: Refer here

Grand Challenge: Refer here

A total of 40 startups (10 by each implementation partner) will be supported and will receive program benefits as mentioned above.

A total of 80 (20 by each implementation partner) shortlisted innovators will receive the shortlist grant and be invited by the respective implementation partners to attend a 2-week bootcamp. Of these, 16 innovators (4 by each implementation partner) will be selected for support and program benefits.

Applications should be made to only 1 implementation partner.