ELEVATE Minorities 2026: Karnataka's startup grant of up to ₹50 lakh

Key facts

Grant

Up to ₹50 lakh, one-time grant-in-aid, released against milestones

Run by

Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka

Applications open

13 October 2026, 9:00 AM IST

Last date

13 November 2026, 5:00 PM IST

Apply at

elevate.startupkarnataka.in

Helpline

080-22231007 · startupcell[at]karnataka[dot]gov[dot]in (10 am to 5:30 pm)

Who can apply

• Entity type: private limited company, One Person Company, registered partnership firm, LLP, or a State or Multi-State cooperative society
• Incorporated in Karnataka, and within 10 years of incorporation
• Turnover below ₹200 crore
• At least one director or partner, or the minority members together, hold at least 51% of the equity, on the date of application and for the whole project period
• The qualifying director or partner holds a valid digital Minority Certificate issued by the Revenue Department, Government of Karnataka, with an RD number
• Communities covered: Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and Parsis, as defined by the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation
• An independent entity with stable ownership, working on an innovation
• No ELEVATE grant received in the last 3 years

The general terms on the ELEVATE portal refer to entities with at least 50% of their workforce in Karnataka and annual revenue up to ₹100 crore, which differs from the ₹200 crore stated for this call. Confirm the applicable limit with the Startup Cell before applying.

Documents to upload

1. Certificate of Incorporation
2. Memorandum of Association (company or OPC), or the LLP agreement or partnership deed
3. Revenue certificate for FY 2025–26 from a Chartered Accountant, confirming turnover below ₹200 crore (portal template)
4. Shareholding proof showing at least 51% held by the qualifying minority director(s) or partner(s), attested by a Chartered Accountant (portal template)
5. Digital Minority Certificate with RD number
6. Patent certificate, if any
7. One pitch deck in the portal template
8. Startup affidavit on ₹100 e-stamp paper, notarised, with the startup as first party and KITS as second party (portal template; PDF under 10 MB)

The portal states that missing or invalid documents lead to automatic rejection. Templates: CA revenue certificate · Shareholding pattern · Pitch deck · Affidavit

How selection works

1. Online application. Eligibility and documents are checked. On the portal: register, log in, select the call, fill in the application, upload the documents and submit to receive an ELEVATE ID.
2. In-person pitch. The minority director or partner holding at least 51% must attend in person. A minimum of 60 marks is needed to reach the Grand Finale.
3. Grand Finale. Winners are ratified by the ELEVATE Evaluation Committee, chaired by the Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T.

After selection

The grant is released against milestones, with mapping to K-Tech partners. Any change in shareholding that takes minority ownership below 51% during the project leads to disqualification or termination of assistance. A false declaration or a forged document leads to disqualification.

Where the practice can help

The grant decision rests with the ELEVATE Evaluation Committee. The company secretarial side of an application is where errors are most common, and that is the part the practice handles.

• Checking the entity type, date of incorporation and registered office against the call's conditions, from the MCA record
• Reviewing the register of members and past allotments or transfers so the 51% holding is correctly recorded before the Chartered Accountant certifies it
• Drafting the startup affidavit and compiling the document set for upload
• Keeping the 51% condition intact through any allotment or transfer during the project
• Note: shifting a registered office into Karnataka from another State needs Regional Director approval under section 13(4) of the Companies Act, 2013, and cannot be completed within this application window.

Frequently asked questions