MoU to provide accelerator access, mentorship, and pilot opportunities to DPIIT-recognised startups

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and ICICI Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support startups and innovators across the country.

Under the MoU, ICICI Bank will design and roll out a Startup Engagement Programme, which will be hosted on the Startup India portal. The programme will be seamlessly integrated with Startup India’s broader outreach and visibility initiatives to ensure maximum adoption and awareness. Startup India will support ICICI Bank in amplifying communication, managing programme visibility, and enabling connections with DPIIT-recognised startups across India.

The initiative will provide selected startups with access to ICICI Bank’s Mumbai-based accelerator facility, including dedicated workspace. They will benefit from a structured curriculum and mentorship by industry leaders, along with opportunities to run pilot programmes with ICICI Bank business units to validate product-market fit. The programme will also extend networking opportunities with venture capital firms, investors, and potential clients, in addition to enabling participation in industry-specific workshops and innovation showcases.

This collaboration seeks to foster the growth of product-based startups by offering them access to ICICI Bank’s accelerator programmes, mentorship opportunities, and ecosystem engagement. The partnership, hosted under the Startup India initiative, aims to guide early- and growth-stage startups through a tailored engagement roadmap that supports business development, product refinement, and operational scale-up.

Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Sanjiv said that the partnership with ICICI Bank is about creating lasting impact through meaningful engagement with startups. He observed that it opens up new channels of support for early- and growth-stage entrepreneurs who are working to transform India’s industrial and financial landscape through technology and innovation.

ICICI Bank Ltd. (BSE: ICICIBANK, NSE: ICICIBANK and NYSE: IBN) is one of India’s leading private sector banks. The Bank’s total assets stood at ₹21,23,839 crore as on June 30, 2025.

MoU for startup support expands accelerator access, mentorship and pilot opportunities through integrated Startup India engagement. A Memorandum of Understanding creates an integrated Startup Engagement Programme on the Startup India portal to support DPIIT-recognised startups by providing access to the bank's Mumbai accelerator, dedicated workspace, structured curriculum, industry mentorship and opportunities to run pilot programmes with the bank's business units, while facilitating networking with investors and participation in workshops and showcases.