This sensitization program aims to create awareness among startups and college students about the startup ecosystem, government schemes, incubation facilities, and innovation opportunities. Officials from MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) will interact with participants and showcase key initiatives through the Innovation Yatra Bus.

The IBITF–MeitY Startup Hub Sensitization Program is a joint initiative of IIT Bhilai Innovation and Technology Foundation (IBITF) and MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), designed to empower startups, students, and aspiring entrepreneurs with first-hand insights into government-led innovation and funding opportunities.

IBITF has a strong track record of nurturing early-stage startups, including facilitating funding support of up to ₹20 lakh under the GENESIS program, along with structured incubation, mentorship, and growth support. By participating in this program, attendees will gain a clear understanding of how the GENESIS scheme can support startups in scaling innovative ideas into market-ready solutions.

GENESIS (Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups) is an umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) aimed at strengthening startups, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, through funding assistance, incubation support, mentorship, and market access.

Under the GENESIS scheme, eligible startups may receive support across four key stages:

1. Up to ₹10 lakh for ideation and early-stage development (without matching requirements)
2. Pilot/PoC funding up to ₹40–50 lakh for solution validation and demonstration
3. Equity-linked investment support up to ₹40–50 lakh (matching funds)
4. Deep-tech funding support up to ₹1 crore for high-impact technology startups, without matching requirements, to enable scale-up and commercialization

This program will help participants understand these four support criteria—Ideation & Early Support, Pilot/PoC Support, Investment Support, and Deep-Tech Funding—and explore opportunities to access funding support of up to ₹1 crore under the GENESIS scheme.