STRIDE Assam Accelerator Program

About

Selected startups join a 12-month accelerator delivered by AISF with IIMCIP that combines mentoring, capacity-building, investor readiness, funding connections, corporate linkages and a Demo Day to help them scale beyond Assam.

Benefits

• 🧭Personalised guidance
  Selected startups can engage one-on-one with seasoned mentors on strategy, operations and next growth moves
• 🏗️Capacity-building bootcamps
  Selected startups can attend focused sessions on business strategy, go-to-market, finance and operations
• 💰Investor readiness support
  Selected startups can receive support to sharpen the financial model, compliance, pitch deck and mock pitches
• 🤝Funding connects
  Selected startups can be introduced to investors and funding sources that fit their stage and sector; funding is not guaranteed
• 🏢Corporate and market linkages
  Selected startups can explore pilot projects and Proof of Concept opportunities with corporates and partners
• 🎤Demo Day
  Top-performing startups may get the opportunity to pitch to a curated pool of investors at the programme's Demo Day
• 👥Investor meet
  Selected startups will get the opportunity to participate in at least one investor meet

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: the startup must be registered as a Private Limited Company, One Person Company (OPC), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) or Registered Partnership
• Mandatory: the startup must have been incorporated or registered at least 3 years before the date of application
• Mandatory: the startup must be beyond the MVP stage and show clear potential to scale
• Preferred: the startup is at the growth stage with substantial customer traction and revenue
• Mandatory: the startup must be incorporated and registered in Assam
• Open to all sectors, with a strong emphasis on impact generation and scalable, sustainable business models
• Preferred but not mandatory: the startup holds a valid DPIIT and/or My Assam Startup ID (MASI) certificate issued by AISF

Participation Commitments

• Applications close on 15 November 2026
• Physical participation is mandatory
• The programme is a 12-month engagement
• 15 startups are selected for initial acceleration and 10 advance to the final acceleration phase
• Selection of the Top 10 Cohort depends on performance in a mid-term presentation to a panel of mentors, industry experts and investors
• No co-working space is allotted to selected startups

Target Region

Startups must be incorporated and registered in Assam, India; businesses registered elsewhere are not eligible even if operating in Assam.

Target Sector

Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Hospitality, Other