Beyond central schemes
PSU & regulator startup programs
Public sector undertakings and financial regulators run their own startup programmes: corporate funds, open-innovation challenges and regulatory sandboxes. Oil & gas PSUs alone committed ₹320 crore over three years (167 startup projects, ₹120.65 crore disbursed) and a further ₹291.91 crore for the next three years.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
ONGC Startup Fund
ONGC's corporate startup fund (since 2016) backing energy, oil & gas and clean-tech startups with equity, plus pilots inside ONGC operations.
startup.ongc.co.in
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
SanRachna Platform
BHEL's open-innovation platform: it posts engineering and manufacturing problem statements for startups and MSMEs to solve and pilot with BHEL.
sanrachna.bhel.in
Bharat Petroleum (BPCL)
Project Ankur / Ankur Fund
BPCL's startup programme offering funding, mentoring and business opportunities for energy and mobility startups (BPCL has invested in about 30 startups).
ebiz.bpc.co.in
Bharat Petroleum (BPCL)
Launch Pad for Entrepreneurship
BPCL's entry point for entrepreneurs who want to work with BPCL on new products, services and pilots.
www.bharatpetroleum.in
Coal India (CIL)
CIL Innovation & Incubation Centre (CII Centre)
Coal India's incubation centre at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad for mining, energy and allied startups.
ciicentre.iitism.ac.in
GAIL (India) Limited
Pankh
GAIL's startup initiative with a dedicated fund for startups in natural gas, petrochemicals, clean energy and allied areas.
gailebank.gail.co.in
Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL)
HP Udgam
HPCL's startup scheme that funds and mentors startups solving problems in the oil & gas and energy value chain.
startup.hpcl.co.in
Indian Oil (IOCL)
IndS_UP StartUp Scheme
IndianOil's startup scheme run from its R&D Centre, funding and incubating energy-technology startups.
iocl.com
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
Startup Connect
SAIL's portal for startups to propose solutions to steel-industry problem statements and pilot them at SAIL plants.
webapp.sailcorp.in
Oil India (OIL)
Start Up Fund
Oil India's startup fund supporting innovations relevant to exploration, production and energy.
www.oil-india.com
Engineers India Limited
EngSUI
Engineers India's Start-Up Initiative, funding and handholding engineering and energy-tech startups.
www6.eil.co.in
Bharat Dynamics Limited
BDL Start Ups
Bharat Dynamics' programme to engage defence startups for development work and supply.
bdl-india.in
EXIM Bank
Ubharte Sitaare
EXIM Bank's fund (managed by SIDBI Venture Capital) for export-oriented Indian companies with high growth potential.
www.sidbiventure.co.in
Reserve Bank of India
Regulatory sandbox
RBI's regulatory sandbox lets fintechs test products with real customers under relaxed rules for a fixed period, in themed cohorts.
fintech.rbi.org.in
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
Regulatory sandbox
IRDAI's regulatory sandbox for testing insurtech products and processes with limited customers.
irdai.gov.in
International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA)
FinTech Sandbox Framework 2026
IFSCA FinTech Sandbox Framework 2026 (effective 16 Mar 2026): Regulatory, Innovation, Inter-Operable sandboxes and FinTech Bridge; tests up to 12 months (+6); DPIIT startups eligible.
ifsca.gov.in
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Regulatory sandbox
SEBI's regulatory sandbox for testing securities-market innovations with eligible entities under relaxed regulations.
www.sebi.gov.in
Programs open and close on their own cycles — check each organisation's portal for live challenges and cohort dates.