IIT Kanpur’s Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) has supported over 500 startups since its inception, becoming one of India’s leading academic incubation hubs. Founded in 2000 with backing from the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), SIIC has grown into a major platform for entrepreneurship and technology-driven ventures.
Startups nurtured under the centre have collectively achieved a valuation of nearly Rs 12,000 crore. More than 150 of these ventures are women-led, and the top 253 companies have created over 10,800 jobs—both skilled and unskilled—across 22 states.
SIIC has incubated ventures spanning medtech, agritech, defence, aerospace, AI, fintech, clean energy, and social technologies. Notable success stories include Offgrid Energy Labs, which raised $15 million in Series A funding for its zinc-bromine battery system, and Primary Healthtech, expanding its IoT-based Mobilab diagnostic device.
The incubator also provides global exposure for its startups. Lifeandlimb.ai and AgrowSure represented India at the Commonwealth Startup Fellowship in the UK, while Royal Bengal Greentech Pvt. Ltd. secured investment on Shark Tank India. In 2025, SIIC partnered with US-based accelerator NMexus to enhance international access and regulatory support for its companies.
IIT Kanpur notes that SIIC’s initiatives align with national programs like Make in India, Vocal for Local, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. By offering infrastructure, mentorship, and industry linkages, the centre helps entrepreneurs scale from early prototypes to market-ready products, contributing to both economic growth and technology-driven solutions for societal challenges.
With 25 years of operation, SIIC remains among the country’s pioneering academic incubation hubs, combining research, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem.
