Call for Applications · Cohort One · 2026

transcend

The National Translation Catalyst.

The one-stop platform for all your startup needs. Designed for AI, energy, biotech and hard-tech seed-stage startups.

Become part of Cohort One Applications open August 2026
§ A multi-institutional partnership · The Translation Endeavors partners
The idea

A single national gateway into India's translation ecosystem.

Think of it as a JEE for deep-tech ventures. Founders apply once, are selected on merit by a national jury, and are matched to the domain hub of your choice and best equipped to take their science to market.

Design partner

Translation Endeavors

Architects the program as a neutral national platform, runs the call and the jury, and orchestrates a consistent, high-quality experience across every hub.

Domain hubs

Host incubators & co-investors

Leading institutions host ventures in residence within their strongest domains, open up labs, testbeds and faculty depth, and co-invest alongside the platform.

Capital partners

Grants & investment

Project grants de-risk early milestones, followed by co-investment from hub incubators and the platform's investor network.

Program structure

From one application to hub residency and capital, in five stages.

01

National Call

One open application for scientist-founders and lab-born ventures across India.

02

Selection

A national jury of investors, faculty and operators selects on merit and translation readiness.

03

Translation Sprint

An intensive, residential venture-building sprint before ventures join their host hub.

04

Hub Residency

Ventures are matched to the domain hub with the right labs, testbeds and faculty.

05

Capital & Scale

Project grants, then co-investment from hub institutions and platform partners.

Selection is national. Hosting is local. Capital follows the venture through the platform.

Infrastructure access · A national network of domain hubs

Clusters of partners, city by city.

Every venture is hosted where its science is strongest. We have built clusters of institutional partners across India's deep-tech cities, each bringing labs, testbeds, faculty depth and co-investment in its sectors. The network is open by design, with new partners and cities joining as the platform grows.

Ahmedabad-GandhinagarSpace-tech · AI · Plasma+

Our anchor cluster: IIMA Ventures leads company-building and investment, while IPR Gandhinagar brings deep plasma and fusion science.

IIMA Ventures
Space-tech · AI · Venture-building

Venture-building and investment depth across frontier digital and space domains.

IPR Gandhinagar
Plasma & Fusion

India's premier plasma-science institute, spanning fusion, plasma processing and industrial applications.

BengaluruBiotech+

India's life-sciences capital, anchored by C-CAMP.

C-CAMP
Biotech · Med-tech · Agri-bio

A premier bio-innovation platform for life sciences, med-tech and agri-bio ventures.

ChennaiEnergy & Industrials+

India's deepest engineering base, anchored by IIT Madras.

IIT Madras
Energy & Industrials

India's deepest engineering research base for the energy transition and industrial deep-tech.

Delhi-KanpurDefence & Cybersecurity+

The strategic-technology corridor, anchored by IIT Kanpur.

IIT Kanpur
Defence & Cybersecurity

National capability in strategic technologies, UAS and cyber-physical security.

Pune-MumbaiMobility & Sustainability+

Western India's materials-and-climate hub, anchored by Venture Center.

Venture Center
Materials · Chemistry · Climate · Mobility

One of India's most prolific science incubators, spanning materials, chemistry and climate.

Wet labsFab & prototyping toolsTestbedsPilot facilitiesDomain facultyCorporate pilots
Capital access

Non-dilutive to start. Patient capital that follows the venture.

Grants de-risk the earliest, hardest milestones; co-investment from hub incubators and the platform's investor network carries the venture as it matures.

₹50L
Seed grant · at the Sprint

A seed grant at the residential Translation Sprint funds the first technology and market milestones.

₹1.5 Cr
Convertible · on milestones

A convertible instrument released against build-phase milestones, carrying the venture through Demo Day.

Co-invest
Hubs · investor network

Follow-on co-investment from host-hub incubators and the platform's investor network as the venture scales.

Training & handholding

An intensive sprint, then a full build phase of hands-on support.

Kick-off

Translation Sprint

A 7-day residential venture-building sprint in Ahmedabad opens every cohort, run by IIMA Ventures.

Ongoing

Commercialization

We support you through the whole commercialization journey: access to labs, testbeds and faculty expertise at the partner hub, hub mentoring, and warm introductions to customers and investors all along the way.

Quarterly

Customer Demo Day

Structured demo days to customers and investors every quarter, so you take the stage whenever you are ready to pitch, opening the path to follow-on capital.

Program advisors & jury

Selected by a national jury of investors, faculty and operators.

Ventures are chosen on merit and translation-readiness by a standing national jury, then guided by an advisory bench drawn from across the partnership.

Investors

Capital & markets

Venture and growth investors who assess translation-readiness and back ventures as they mature.

Faculty

Science & depth

Domain faculty from partner institutions who vouch for the science and mentor through the build phase.

Operators

Building & scaling

Founders and operators who have taken deep-tech from lab to market and advise on the path to scale.

Programme timeline · Indicative, Cohort One

From call for applications to Demo Day.

1 Aug 2026
Call for applications opensNational scouting and outreach begins
TE + Hubs
1–25 Aug
Application windowPortal intake and partner-channel amplification
TE + Hubs
25 Aug
Applications closeTriage of the inbound funnel begins
TE
26 Aug – 9 Sep
Selection · 15–20 daysDiligence, interviews, final pitch and confirm
National Jury
15–20 Sep
Cohort announcedContracting, host MoUs and onboarding
TE + Hubs
1–7 Oct 2026
Translation Sprint · 7 daysResidential kick-off in Ahmedabad; ₹50L seed grant
IIMA Ventures
8 Oct – 31 Dec
Build phase · ~12 weeksHub mentoring, monitoring and corporate pilots
Domain Hubs
5 & 7 Jan 2027
Customer Demo DayInvestor and customer showcase
Host Hub
15 Jan 2027
Close-out · ₹1.5 Cr convertibleReleased on milestones; Cohort 2 opens
Capital Partners
FAQs

Questions, answered.

Who can apply?+
Cohort One is open to deep-tech ventures emerging from Indian labs, institutes and research programs, and to scientist-founders and founding teams ready to move from prototype to market. Technologies span space, defence, energy, biotech, mobility, AI and beyond.
Do I need an incorporated company to apply?+
No. You can apply pre-incorporation, as a founding team or a lab-born project. If you are selected, we help you formalise the entity during the Translation Sprint, before any capital is deployed.
Can I choose which hub I join?+
Yes, you indicate a preferred hub in your application. Matching then considers both your choice and where your science is strongest, so you land where the labs, testbeds and faculty fit your venture best.
Do I have to be located at a hub after the Sprint?+
Selected ventures take up a residency at their matched hub to use its labs, testbeds and faculty. How much on-site presence you need depends on your technology: deep hardware and wet-lab work call for hands-on time, while some ventures can engage more flexibly. The specifics are agreed with your host hub, and it is not a rigid, full-time relocation requirement.
What are the charges for infrastructure access?+
Access to partner-hub labs, testbeds and faculty is provided through the program as part of your residency — there are no separate participation or rental fees to join. Any specialised or extended facility use is arranged directly with the host hub.
What capital do selected ventures receive, and does the program take equity?+
The program is non-dilutive to start: a ₹50L seed grant at the Sprint funds early technology and market milestones, followed by up to ₹1.5 Cr as a milestone-linked convertible. Beyond that, follow-on co-investment from the host hub and the platform's investor network is offered on standard, negotiated terms.
How are ventures selected?+
One national application is reviewed by a national jury of investors, faculty and operators, who select on merit and translation-readiness.
When can I apply?+
Applications open in August 2026 and Cohort One begins with the Translation Sprint in October 2026. Register your interest now and we will notify you the moment the application portal opens.
Become part of transcend

Cohort One is open to India's most ambitious scientist-founders and lab-born ventures.

Who should apply
  • Deep-tech ventures emerging from Indian labs, institutes and research programs
  • Scientist-founders and founding teams ready to move from prototype to market
  • Technologies across space, defence, energy, biotech, mobility, AI and beyond
What you get
  • The Translation Sprint and residency at the best-fit domain hub
  • Project grants to fund early technology and market milestones
  • A path to co-investment from hub institutions and the platform's investor network
Register your interest Applications open August 2026 · Cohort One begins October 2026