The application deadline is October 15, 2026 — four incubation cohorts under Maharashtra's SARTHI Entrepreneurship Development Incubation Initiative are open right now, and the window closes in days.
SARTHI (Sarsenapati Santaji Ghorpade), an autonomous programme of the Government of Maharashtra, aims to foster technology-driven entrepreneurship within specific communities in the state. Each of SARTHI's 13 incubation centres supports 10 new entrepreneurs per cohort, offering up to ₹3,00,000 in support plus guidance and facilities to turn innovative technology business ideas into scalable startups within a year.
The four cohorts with applications currently open are:
- SARTHI AIC BAMU Foundation Incubation 2026-27 — AIC BAMU Foundation, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
- SARTHI Incubation Program at NETRARIT Foundation 2026 — NETRARIT Foundation, Sangli
- SARTHI Incubation at AIC IISER Pune 2026 — AIC IISER Pune Seed Foundation
- SARTHI FMCIII Incubation 2026-27, Pune — Foundation for Make It Happen Center for Invention Innovation Incubation, specifically targeting entrepreneurs from Maratha, Kunbi, Kunbi-Maratha and Maratha-Kunbi categories
Eligibility is community-specific: the initiatives are targeted at entrepreneurs from defined communities in Maharashtra. The programme appears on the October 7, 2026 weekly listing of newly launched startup grants and incubation programmes.
Why it matters for founders
₹3 lakh in non-dilutive support plus a year of incubation at a state-backed centre is a genuine launchpad — and with the deadline on October 15, eligible Maharashtra founders should move immediately. Check which host centre fits your sector and location, and confirm your community-category eligibility before applying.