Elevate Shakti 2026 Picks 63 Women-Led Startups in Karnataka
Elevate Shakti 2026 picked 63 women-led startups in Karnataka, each eligible for a grant up to Rs 50 lakh. See who qualifies and how to apply next.
By Avinash Mishra, Business Correspondent
2 min read
Quick Take
- Karnataka picked 63 women-led startups under Elevate Shakti, its grant track for women founders.
- Each selected startup is eligible for a one-time grant of up to Rs 50 lakh.
- So far, Elevate has backed 330 women-led ventures with Rs 77.39 crore.
Karnataka has selected 63 women-led startups under Elevate Shakti, each eligible for a grant of up to Rs 50 lakh.
Elevate Shakti is the women-only track of Elevate, the state’s flagship startup grant scheme. It is open to startups with at least 51% women ownership.
The grant is a one-time payout, not a loan. The state takes no equity in return.
Karnataka’s Department of Electronics, IT, BT says Elevate has backed 330 women-led ventures with Rs 77.39 crore so far.
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In all, Elevate has funded more than 1,250 startups with about Rs 292.57 crore since 2017.
What Elevate Shakti Offers Women Founders
The Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society runs Elevate. The body is known as KITS.
Elevate uses the Idea2PoC model. It funds early-stage startups to build a prototype or prove an idea works.
Selected founders also get mentorship and incubation support. They are mapped to government-backed centres of excellence.
Women founders must hold the 51% stake for the whole project. If it falls below that, the grant can be withdrawn.
What this means for you
If you run a women-led startup in Karnataka, Elevate Shakti is the state’s main grant route for you. Watch the state’s official Elevate portal for the next Shakti call and check the 51% ownership rule before you apply.
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