"Building Eco-system for Accelerating Contribution to NDC through Climate Innovation Incubation for India ("BEACON INDIA”)"

India, among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, is facing escalating climate stress through worsening heatwaves, floods, droughts, and groundwater depletion. Tamil Nadu is particularly at risk, being at the same time one of the most exposed states and a major emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). Although India hosts a large startup ecosystem, climate innovation remains fragmented and underrepresented. Barriers include a lack of support for startups from the early to the growth phase, limited access to climate-focused funding, and the high perceived risks associated with early-stage climate ventures. This programme aims to establish a robust ecosystem for climate-tech innovation and incubation by incubating 100 early-stage climate technology ventures, preparing 50 for scale-up, and providing step-up financing to 30 ventures. From more than 1,000 climate innovation ideas, 100 potential climate ventures will be incubated. Around 50 innovation ventures will be selected for full-scale innovation development, and about 10-15 among them will receive seed funding for prototypes, market promotion, and venture launch. The programme provides support and funding throughout the entire startup lifecycle, helping to prevent promising ventures from stalling midway. By delivering end-to-end assistance, BEACON INDIA nurtures technically sound and financially sustainable startups, enhancing their long-term growth and scalability potential. This approach helps build strong foundations for emerging ventures, positioning them more effectively to attract follow-on investment.