New Delhi: GENESIS EIR Cohort 3, the third edition of the GENESIS Entrepreneur-in-Residence programme, has been launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) through MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) to support aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, students and early-stage startup founders in transforming innovative ideas into technology-driven ventures.
The GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 was launched at the GENESIS NextGen Startup Summit – Coimbatore Edition, held on August 4, 2026, at Rathinam Global University in Coimbatore.
The Call for Applications for GENESIS EIR 3.0 is now open, with interested applicants invited to apply by September 3, 2026.
The initiative is part of the GENESIS (Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups) scheme and is focused on discovering, supporting and accelerating startups, particularly those emerging from Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
Through the Entrepreneur-in-Residence component, GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 will provide focused funding and incubation support to help innovators, students and entrepreneurs transform early-stage ideas into pilot-ready solutions.
MeitY Startup Hub, established under MeitY, serves as a national platform connecting startups, incubators, accelerators, industry, investors, mentors, academia and government stakeholders.
The platform supports India’s DeepTech ecosystem and the innovation journey from ideation and validation to commercialisation and scale.
GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 Launched at Coimbatore Startup Summit
The GENESIS NextGen Startup Summit – Coimbatore Edition was organised as a collaborative platform to inspire, connect and empower aspiring entrepreneurs, startups, innovators, researchers, students, academia, industry leaders and ecosystem partners.
The summit focused on promoting innovation-led entrepreneurship through knowledge sharing, mentorship, networking and ecosystem collaboration.
Following the keynote address, the official launch of GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 was conducted by Dr. Panneerselvam Madanagopal, Chief Executive Officer, MeitY Startup Hub.
The launch took place in the presence of Thiru. Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, IAS, District Collector, Coimbatore; Dr. Madan A. Senthil, Chancellor, Rathinam Global University; and other distinguished dignitaries.
The launch reaffirmed MeitY Startup Hub’s commitment to nurturing early-stage innovators, researchers, students and entrepreneurs through structured financial assistance, mentorship, incubation support and access to a nationwide innovation ecosystem.
The GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 initiative is designed to help innovators transform innovative ideas into validated prototypes and scalable technology-driven ventures.
GENESIS EIR 3.0 Call for Applications Open
Implemented by MeitY Startup Hub, GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 is aimed at early-stage innovators developing technology-based solutions across Electronics, Information Technology (IT), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and DeepTech.
Selected applicants will receive incubation, mentorship, ecosystem access, networking opportunities and financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh through participating GENESIS incubators.
The programme is designed to provide support across different stages of early technology development, including prototyping, product development, validation and startup development.
What Selected Innovators Can Get
Under GENESIS EIR Cohort 3, selected innovators can access:
- Financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh
- Access to participating GENESIS incubators
- One-on-one mentorship and expert guidance
- Product development and MVP support
- Incubation and business growth support
- Support for prototyping, technology development and validation
- Industry and startup ecosystem connections
- Guidance towards commercialisation and startup development
GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 Focus Areas
The GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 programme covers emerging technology areas in the Electronics and IT domain, including DeepTech and other technology-focused sectors.
The focus areas include:
- Electronics and IT
- DeepTech
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Semiconductor/VLSI
- Cybersecurity
- Blockchain
- Quantum Technologies
- AR/VR
- Spatial and Immersive Technologies
- GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 Eligibility Criteria
Applicants seeking support through GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 must meet the specified eligibility criteria.
- Applicants must be Indian citizens.
- Applicants may be entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, students, or founders/co-founders of early-stage startups.
- The proposed innovation should be in emerging technologies in the Electronics and IT domain, DeepTech, AI/ML, IoT, Semiconductor/VLSI, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Quantum Technologies, or AR/VR, Spatial & Immersive Technologies.
- The innovation should be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1–4, covering ideation, proof of concept, prototype, MVP or early validation stages.
- The startup should be based in a Tier-II or Tier-III city.
- If incorporated, the startup should be less than two years old as of the date of application.
- The startup must not have received financial assistance exceeding ₹10 lakh under any Central or State Government scheme for the same proposed idea or startup.
GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 Application Dates
The application window for GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 opened on August 4, 2026, and will remain open until September 3, 2026.
Interested applicants can submit their applications online through the official MeitY Startup Hub application portal.
Apply for GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 / GENESIS EIR 3.0
The programme’s official call-for-applications creative invites aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage innovators to participate in GENESIS EIR 3.0.
Supporting Technology-Driven Ventures
GENESIS EIR Cohort 3 is designed to help bridge the gap between an idea and a viable startup by combining financial assistance with incubation and mentorship.
Through the programme, innovators can receive support to develop, validate and advance their technologies towards market readiness.
MeitY Startup Hub, through the GENESIS EIR Cohort 3, seeks to strengthen India’s technology startup ecosystem and empower innovators from across the country to build scalable and impactful technology-driven ventures.
