Karnataka rolls out Rs 150 crore ELEVATE NxT to back DeepTech startups

Bengaluru: The Government of Karnataka has launched ELEVATE NxT, a flagship DeepTech startup support programme under the LEAP (Local Economy Accelerator Programme). With an earmarked corpus of Rs 150 crore, the government has invited DeepTech startups from across the country to apply for grant-in-aid support of up to Rs 1 crore per startup, along with milestone-based funding, sector-aligned mentorship, and structured ecosystem support.

Applications are open until February 17, 2026 and can be submitted through the official portal at https://www.missionstartupkarnataka.org/elevate-karnataka?en.

ELEVATE NxT is designed to nurture startups working at the frontiers of science and engineering, with a strong focus on transformative technologies including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Robotics, 3D Printing, Drones, Biotechnology, Quantum Computing, Advanced Materials, Cybersecurity, Green Energy, and SpaceTech, among others.

The programme is open to DeepTech startups across India, enabling innovators nationwide to leverage Karnataka’s robust innovation ecosystem and contribute to innovation-led economic growth, the government said in a statement.

ELEVATE NxT features a transparent grant-in-aid framework with rigorous multi-stage evaluation rounds to identify high-impact, science-led startups. Selected startups will receive milestone-linked funding disbursements, domain-specific mentorship, and structured ecosystem support to translate breakthrough innovations into scalable and globally competitive solutions.

“ELEVATE NxT is a key milestone in Karnataka’s DeepTech Decade, aimed at translating frontier research into globally competitive technologies. Since 2017, the ELEVATE programme has empowered startups and driven innovation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth across Karnataka,” said N Manjula, Secretary to Government, Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology (ITBT).