Indo-German Entrepreneurship Programme

Call for applications: Innovators Connect - Tandem 2026 (Apply till 5 September 2026)

Innovators Connect – Tandem is a two week entrepreneurship programme for young researchers interested in start-up founding and early-stage start-up founders from India and Germany.

Participants will work in teams to generate innovative ideas, undergo training for bringing research ideas to market and get exposure to start-up and innovation ecosystems of India and Germany. The programme will include design thinking workshops, information sessions, mentoring, networking sessions, lab visits and more. The programme takes place in India.

This year marks the fifth edition of the programme.

When?

Location: India – Bengaluru and Bhubaneshwar

Dates: 16 November – 27 November 2026

Who can apply?

Applicants from India

PhD (ongoing or completed) / Postdocs (PhD not older than four years) with a lab to market idea and registered (full time) at any of the partner institutions* of the programme
OR
Early stage-start-up founders (less than two years of incorporation) with minimum bachelor’s degree and preferably a master’s degree incubated onsite at one of the partner institutions*

Applicants from Germany

PhD (ongoing or completed) / Postdocs (PhD not older than four years) with a lab to market idea and currently affiliated with a university, university of applied sciences or a research institution in Germany
OR
Early-stage start-up team members/ early-stage start-up founders (not more than 2 years of founding) with minimum bachelor’s degree and preferably a master’s degree affiliated with a university, university of applied sciences or a research institution in Germany.
Note: Applicants of Indian origin should have spent at least 2 years in a study or research programme in Germany at the time of the application.

Applicants must apply as individuals, either as researchers or start-up founders. The programme is designed for individual participants rather than teams. If two or more applicants from the same start-up or research group apply, the applicant whose profile and application are the stronger fit for the programme will be given preference.

Programme Partners

India

Hosts and Main Partners*

  1. Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (CCAMP)
  2. Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID), Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
  3. KIIT-Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT)

Associate partners*

  1. Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre– Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur
  2. IIT Hyderabad Technology Incubation Centre (iTIC), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad

Germany

  1. KIT Gründerschmiede, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
  2. Transfer Centre (TRACES), University of Stuttgart
  3. Centre for Entrepreneurship, University of Rostock
  4. Fraunhofer Venture, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
  5. Hei_INNOVATION, Heidelberg University
  6. Gateway Excellence Centre, University of Cologne
  7. NXTGN

Note:
*Host and Main Partners in India indicate incubators (and institutions where the incubators are anchored) which will host the participants i.e the teams on their campus.

Associate Partners indicate incubators (and institutions where the incubators are anchored) which are closely involved in the implementation of the programme but are not hosting the participants i.e the teams on their campus.

In India, the programme is only open to participants incubated on-site or registered and are present on-site at the Host and Main Partners and Associate Partners.

Programme partners from Germany play an active role throughout the programme, contributing to participant scouting, selection, and training sessions. Participation, however, is open to researchers and founders from all eligible institutions in Germany and is not limited to the programme partners.

All partner incubators from India and Germany are involved in co-organising the programme, contribute their expertise and in certain cases, support the programme with financial contribution.

What’s in it for you?

  • Direct access to the innovation ecosystems of India and Germany
  • Intensive, hands-on training with mentors from both countries
  • Collaboration in international and interdisciplinary teams
  • Opportunity to develop an idea ready for incubation
  • Access to a network of mentors, funding agencies, VCs, and more
  • Opportunity to visit Bengaluru Tech Summit
  • Become a part of our Indo-German entrepreneurship network!

What does the programme cover?
  • Mentoring
  • Design Thinking
  • Connecting with Subject Experts
  • Industry Visits
  • Pitching Sessions
  • Workshops
  • Training
  • Information Sessions
  • Networking
  • Intercultural Training
  • Connecting with VCs
  • Start-up Exchange
  • Pitch Training
  • Teamwork
  • Expert Talks and more

Note: The focus of the programme is on generating new, innovative product or start-up ideas based on the combined expertise and research of an Indo-German team (Tandem). The teams are formed during the selection process by the application evaluation committee. The project ideas may be inspired by the research of either tandem partner but must not be based entirely on the existing start-up or research idea of one partner. The programme does not provide pitching opportunities or market access for participants’ existing start-ups.

Quick look at the day-to-day programme

Check out the draft agenda of the two weeks here: Innovators Connect – Tandem 2026.

Focus areas of the programme

Participants should have their academic/research background in the area of
  • Life Science
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Science
  • Engineering
  • Material Science
  • Engineering
  • Electronics and Telecommunications
  • Computer Science (including AI/ML)
  • Economics/ Business Management

Participants should have their lab to market ideas /start-up ideas /application of research in
  • Biotechnology
  • Digital Healthcare Technology
  • Medical Technology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance/ Drug Discovery
  • Clean Technology / Sustainability
  • Marine Technology
  • Agricultural Technology/ Food Technology
  • Mobility
  • Space Technology
  • Semiconductors

Number of participants

30 (15 from India and 15 from Germany).
One team will (ideally) have two participants- one from India and one from Germany.

Application details

To apply for the programme please fill in the online form: https://www.daad.de/surveys/2026

Applications close on 5 September 2026.

Only complete applications will be evaluated. Applicants will be informed of their selection in the programme by 15 September 2026.

Note: If any issues are encountered while filling out the application form, please try again after clearing the browser’s cache and cookies and refreshing the page.

Got questions? Please write to Sahil Patil, Programme Officer-Events, DWIH New Delhi at patil@dwih.org.

Financial support for participants

DWIH New Delhi together with the partner incubators will cover the financial costs for the participants to a large extent. See the details below:

Participants from Germany
  • International air travel cost
  • Meals during the programme, wherever applicable
  • Accomodation in India during the entire programme
  • Visa fees

Participants from India
  • Air travel in India for programme in cities other than the city of their institution
  • Accommodation for programme in cities other than the city of their institution
  • Travel and accommodation for the concluding programme
  • Meals during the programme, wherever applicable

Important to note
  • Week 2 offers a concluding programme for all the participants in Bhubaneshwar. Accommodation and transport will be covered for non-local participants whose host incubators for the programme are outside of Bhubaneshwar.
  • Participants are expected to take care of day-to-day commute during the programme and meals to an extent, on their own. Canteen facilities are available at the host institutions.
  • The decision on granting visa to foreign nationals is at the discretion and as per the regulations of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian Government.
  • As per the regulations of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian Government and depending on the nationalities of the persons, the visa processes may vary (E-Visa/ Paper Visa applications at respective consulates)

Winners Get

At the end of the programme, all teams will present the ideas they have worked on, to a jury comprising of start-up founders, industry experts and researchers. The winning team(s) get the opportunity (financially supported) to meet in Germany in 2027 to work on their ideas and participate in a leading start-up conference in Germany. Teams will get further mentoring and support to raise grants for product development from incubators in India and Germany.

Winning teams have participated in conferences in Germany such as Asia Berlin Summit, Applied Deep Tech Festival, Startup Summit BW as well as Falling Walls Lab.

Success stories of ideas generated from previous cohorts
  • 1 exist Women grant awarded in Germany
  • 1 exist Startup Grant
  • 1 exist Research Transfer Grant
  • 1 grant secured for prototype development in Germany
  • 1 Indo-German startup successfully incubated in Germany
  • 2 international startup innovation competitions won in the USA and Germany
  • 1 patent application in process in Germany
  • 1 joint product expected in the market by end of 2026
  • Couple of exist grant applications currently in the pipeline
  • Couple of joint Indo-German research papers
  • 15+ incubators connected from both countries
  • Numerous innovative ideas mentored for joint-product development

Interview: Researcher to deep-tech startup founder

Check out the journey of the researcher turned startup founder (Cohort 2023) here: Dr. Komali Valishetti 

2025 programme testimonials

2025 programme testimonials

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