SINE ACE Semiconductors Accelerator

About This Scheme

Benefits

• Investment: Opportunity for up to ₹5 crore in equity funding from SINE/Y-Point, a SINE IITB venture capital fund.
• Participants also gain access to Seed / Series A investment through partner networks and opportunities to be evaluated for government schemes like ISM, DLI, and C2S.
• Industry Collaboration & Market Access: Direct engagement for pilots, customer validation, and co-development with leading industry partners such as Ather, Electra EV, and ideaForge, providing critical market entry and validation.
• Prototyping & Manufacturing Support: Access to IIT Bombay's advanced fab labs with significant financial discounts (up to 50% on MPW/tape-out and up to 10% on mass production), along with credits for usage.
• Mentorship: Tailored guidance through a dedicated team of three mentors, comprising an industry expert from a matched corporate partner, a SINE/IIT Bombay expert, and an investor mentor, ensuring comprehensive support.
• Infrastructure: Access to flexible co-working spaces, high-performance computing (HPC) credits, and state-of-the-art prototyping labs within IIT Bombay's ecosystem.

How to Apply

7d — 30 Oct 2026

Selection Process

• The selection process for the SINE ACE accelerator is rigorous and multi-faceted, designed to identify high-potential DeepTech startups in the semiconductor sector.
• Applications are first screened for fundamental eligibility criteria, including company incorporation status, Indian promoter shareholding, DPIIT registration, and adherence to the minimum TRL 4+ requirement, ensuring a working prototype exists.
• Startups with an idea-stage concept or those already commercially scaled beyond Series A are disqualified.
• Following initial screening, eligible applications undergo a thorough technical and business evaluation by a panel of experts from SINE, IIT Bombay faculty, and industry specialists.
• This assessment focuses on the innovation of the semiconductor product, its market viability, the robustness of the business model, and the complementary skills within the founding team.
• Shortlisted companies are then invited for multiple rounds of interviews, allowing the selection committee to gain deeper insights into the startup's vision, execution capabilities, and potential for growth.
• A key aspect of the evaluation is the startup's ability and willingness to engage in pilot programs with corporate partners, including disclosure and signing NDAs. The final decision involves presentations to a high-level selection committee, which includes representatives from SINE, IIT Bombay, industry partners, and the Y-Point venture capital fund.
• The committee’s decision is heavily influenced by the startup's potential for successful corporate pilots, its alignment with investor interests, and its overall fit within the ACE program's collaborative DeepTech ecosystem.