IIIT-H Seed Fund

IIIT-H Seed Fund, operated through the Avishkar incubator by IIIT Hyderabad in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, provides seed funding and acceleration to early-stage deep tech startups. The fund focuses on emerging fields such as machine learning, computer vision, robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and cybersecurity. It typically takes a 2% equity stake via convertible debenture subscription in exchange for INR 10 lakh in seed funding per startup. The program has funded multiple batches, with its third batch in 2017 selecting five startups. Notable portfolio companies include Niche.ai, Blue Semiconductors, Authbase, DreamVu, and Docturnal, alongside earlier investments in Fabulyst and Sastra Robotics. IIIT-H Seed Fund commenced operations in June 2016, leveraging the academic and research ecosystem of IIIT Hyderabad. Its business model centers on takes 2% equity stake via convertible debenture subscription in exchange for seed funding of INR 10 lakh per startup.