Innovation Voucher Program

The Innovation Voucher Programme (IVP) offers grant support to startups and MSMEs in Tamil Nadu. It is backed by EDII-TN and facilitated by iTNT Hub, also known as the Tamil Nadu Technology Hub. EDII-TN, the Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute of Tamil Nadu, works to promote entrepreneurship and strengthen the state’s innovation ecosystem. Both organisations aim to support economic growth and technological self-reliance through initiatives such as the IVP.

The programme provides financial grants to help early-stage ventures move from conceptual ideas to tangible prototypes, and then from prototypes to commercially viable products. This support is intended to reduce the risk of early-stage development and speed up market entry for innovative hardware solutions. Applicants must agree to co-finance a portion of the investment as per IVP norms. A 10% success fee applies only after the grant is disbursed by EDII-TN, so there are no upfront charges for the grant itself.

Grant funds may be used for activities essential to product development, testing, and market entry. Eligible expenses include R&D, specialised equipment procurement, patenting costs, market research, and pilot project implementation. In addition to funding, iTNT Hub provides expert guidance and mentorship to help applicants strengthen their proposals, refine business models, and improve readiness for securing funding in the specified hardware-based focus sectors.

The application for the Innovation Voucher Program (IVP) is submitted through an online portal, using the application URL provided. Applicants must fill out a detailed form covering their startup/MSME, the proposed hardware project, its development stage, market potential, team, budget, and co-financing plan. After submission, a multi-stage evaluation is conducted by a panel from iTNT Hub and EDII-TN, which may include technical assessments and business viability reviews. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to give presentations or attend interviews. iTNT Hub provides support to help applicants refine their proposals. Successful applicants move to a due diligence stage, followed by a formal grant agreement and milestone-based fund disbursal, tied to project progress and achievement of agreed targets. Applicants should monitor the official website and their email regularly for updates.

Applications are filed via the programme’s online portal, where startups must provide the necessary details about their venture and innovation. The programme team then assesses each submission, looking at the novelty of the idea and whether the applicant meets the stage-based criteria. Startups that pass this review are awarded a non-dilutive voucher grant, intended to fund prototype development or product scaling, depending on the specific voucher track they applied under.