Application Window Opens From 11th April - 10th May 2018

Inviting Applications for the Student/Early Stage Startup Category Only

Canada India Acceleration Program

Student Startup Mentorship 2018, India

The Canada-India Acceleration Program (CIAP) is formulated as part of MoU signed between AICTE and Carleton University to support and promote international collaborations between India and Canada, while designing collaborative programs in the area of start-up and innovation development in technical institutes and higher education in India. The tentative timeline for the CIAP 2018 program as below:

  • Application Submission Period: 11th April – 10th May 2018
  • Scrutiny and Short listing of 1st Round Applications: 12-14 May 2018
  • Student/Early Stage Startup Mentorship Round, India: 25th & 26th June 2018
  • Final Announcement of 10 Women Entrepreneurs for CIAP, Canada: 27th June 2018
  • Period for Visa and logistic Arrangement and Coordination: July – 2nd Week of Aug 2018
  • 10 Women Startup Team tour to Canada for CIAP: 3rd and 4th Week of August 2018

Student /Early Stage Startup Contest 2018, India
Now we are inviting applications under the categories of Student/Early Stage Startups to Submit their Entries for the Canada India Acceleration Program ( for Women Applicants Only ) and to be Part of Student Startup Mentorship 2018, India ( Open for both Genders).

Submission Instructions
  • Submission of Startup application through this Registration platform only
  • The online application form must be furnished with all the details in the prescribed format (Annexure-I).
  • Incomplete application form will lead to disqualification. Applications received after the due date will not be accepted.
  • In case of IP involvement, applicant/team may have to furnish “No Objection Certificate/Letter” from principal advisor/co-inventors/research colleagues and attached separately.
  • In case of faculty Start-up, applicant may have to furnish “No Objection Certificate/Letter” from Institute where they are currently serving and attached separately.
  • Regarding the proof on legal entity, the applicant can furnish suitable document as a proof of incorporation or it is in which year of operation by now.
  • In case of Early Stage category & if it’s a student start-up it has to mention when did the applicant passed out from which college under which university (name) in which program (UG/PG/PhD).
  • In exceptional scenario if a start-up is in its 0-3 year of operation but still it’s in its growth phase as per revenue/impact/job creation/customer base the start-up may nominate itself in either category as per their choice.
  • The Start-up Contest reserves the right to withhold award and/or in-kind services from winning teams who do not comply with the eligibility requirements.

    • DOWNLOAD
    The detail submission formats can be downloaded here.
    Annexure-I: Startup Proposal Format

Frequently Asked Questions

Growth stage Startup

Entrepreneurs/Start-ups who are currently being incubated or otherwise which are into 3-5 years of their operation with substantial value creation/impact/revenue/ customer base can submit their proposal under this category.The team/Project should be a registered entity as per start-up India mandate.


Student/ Early Stage Startup

Student Start-up which is in pre-incubation stage or similar having been started by one or more co-founders in his/her college days or having been started by an alumni of any institute in India within 2 years of passing out from any academic program. This also includes any other start-up which is incubated or otherwise but it is between 0-3 years of its operation since its incorporation.


Faculty Lead Startup

Entrepreneurial faculties who are currently continuing their academic research profession in any Institute in India may submit their start-ups established by them (as Founder or co-founder)

Institution Supporting Startups

Under this category, academic & research institutions those are actively promoting and supporting innovation and startups in their campus and region are requested to submit. Interested institute has to send the filled application as per the below format to startup@aicte-india.org by 15th September 2017.


© ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION