SIDBI-iDEX Seed Fund (SINE)

How applying runs

1. 01callApply during an open SINE call for applications for the SIDBI-iDEX Seed Fund (current call last date stated by the user as 13 Jul 2026 — verify on the SINE portal; an earlier round closed 25 Jun 2026).
2. 02screeningPreliminary screening and internal evaluation on technological, commercial, managerial and financial metrics.
3. 03evaluationExternal evaluation / presentation to the Investment Committee (IC).
4. 04selectionAnnouncement of selected startups per the IC decision.
5. 05documentationTerm-sheet signing, due diligence and other legal documentation.
6. 06disbursementDisbursement of the investment in one or more milestone-linked tranches as decided by the IC.

Worth knowing

• The defining eligibility gate is being an iDEX challenge winner (referred by iDEX and grant-supported by iDEX). Modelled as the boolean fact-field is_idex_winner (is_true), added to canon 2026-07-09 (migration 0149) and classified IMMUTABLE — a competitive achievement, not an attainable registration: a non-winner reads 'not' (excluded), an unstated winner-status reads 'almost'/needs_info (asked). The three iDEX facts (winner / iDEX-referred / iDEX-grant-supported) are collapsed into this one boolean since they move together in practice and recur across every incubator delivering this fund (SINE, FIRST/SIIC, TIDES).
• SECTOR IS NOT A GATE (2026-07-09 review): the scheme was authored with a proxy 'sector = Aerospace & Defense' eligibility gate; it was DROPPED. Defence is programme context, not an enumerated 'Who Can Apply' clause, and sector is a single-value macro field that would silently 'not'-reject defence-adjacent startups self-classifying as Technology (defence-AI) or Industrial & Manufacturing (defence hardware). The is_idex_winner gate does the defence-filtering honestly (iDEX = Innovations for Defence Excellence ⇒ only defence startups can win), so it REPLACES the sector gate rather than augmenting it, and no redundant impact_theme defence scoring is added (the gate already implies defence for 100% of eligible applicants). Per field_guide §7c.
• STATUS REVIEW 2026-07-14: the current call closes 13 July 2026; the engine has no date-eval, so status_code stays Active while the window is open. Flip status_code to Closed after 2026-07-14 unless a fresh SINE call/window is announced — this fund runs recurring calls (an earlier round closed 25 Jun 2026).
• Instrument confirmed from primary programme text: 'seed fund support in the form of equity / equity like investment ranging between INR 10 Lakhs to INR 150 Lakhs' — this is direct equity into the startup (SISFS-shaped, IN scope), NOT an iDEX grant-in-aid.
• Eligibility clauses (Pvt Ltd, >=1yr incorporation, iDEX winner/referred/grant-supported, DPIIT) are taken from the identical national SIDBI iDEX programme guideline as published by SIIC/FIRST (IIT Kanpur). SINE's own guideline PDF should be confirmed at ingest; SINE's public call confirms the fund is 'exclusively for iDEX winner startups'. Needs verification of SINE-specific wording and the exact current-call deadline.
• 'Should be an Indian entity' is treated as boilerplate satisfied by an India-incorporated private limited company; no separate predicate modelled.
• This is a distinct scheme from 'SIDBI Seed Fund Programme at a-IDEA' (SCH-SIDB-SIDBISEEDAIDEA): different incubator (SINE vs a-IDEA), sector (defence vs agri), amount (Rs.1.5cr vs Rs.1cr) and, critically, the iDEX-winner gate which a-IDEA does not have. Same fund provider (SIDBI) and 'Seed Fund Programme' naming only.