Kotak BizLabs Accelerator Programme is back with Season 2: Fuelling innovation with ₹9 Crore in Grant Funding

Early-stage startups often face a critical challenge: they’ve built a minimum viable product, secured initial customers, and proven market fit, but find it challenging to access the mentorship, networks, and capital needed to scale. Kotak BizLabs Accelerator Programme, Kotak Mahindra Bank’s flagship CSR initiative, is designed to bridge this gap.

Now in its second season, running from October 2025 through November 2026, the programme aims to support more than 75 early-revenue stage startups across India, with a focus on entrepreneurs in Tier II and Tier III cities.

Season 1 outcomes

The first season demonstrated measurable traction. From over 1,500 applications, the programme engaged more than 500 founders through outreach activities and knowledge sessions. Fifty-five startups were accelerated through structured mentorship and incubation, of which 32 ventures received funding support totalling around Rs. 5 crore. These funded startups span sectors including agritech, climatetech, fintech, edtech, healthcare, indigenous art and craft, deeptech, cleantech, and sustainability.

Season 1’s Demo Day brought together a diverse group of startups and leading venture capital firms, creating valuable investor connections.

The ventures have created jobs and already raised follow-on capital, reportedly exceeding Rs. 12 crore in total.

What's different in Season 2?

Season 2 represents a significant scaling of the initiative. The programme now extends across North, South, West, and Central India, with roadshows and networking events planned in more than 20 cities, compared to 14 cities in Season 1. Recent roadshows have been conducted in Jodhpur, Vadodara, and Gurgaon.

IIT Delhi's Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) has joined as the fourth partner, complementing the existing network of IIMA Ventures, NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore, and T-Hub. These incubators manage startup selection, acceleration support, and mentorship delivery.

The scale is ambitious: the programme will engage over 800 startups through outreach and knowledge sessions, accelerate more than 75. High-potential startups stand to receive grants between 10 lakh - 30 lakh INR, with total grant allocation projected at approximately 9 Crore INR.

Programme focus and eligibility criteria

Kotak BizLabs maintains its focus on startups addressing societal and industry challenges across specific sectors: deeptech, sustainability, climatetech, agritech, fintech and edtech, healthtech and medtech, deeptech and EV/mobility solutions, and more.

Eligible startups must be DPIIT-registered entities with a fully developed Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that is market-ready and generating revenue. The programme specifically targets early-revenue stage ventures seeking to refine their product-market fit, scale operations, and achieve sustainable profitability.

What participants receive

The programme offers comprehensive support. Mentorship and guidance will come from industry experts, VCs, and corporate partners who will advise on business model refinement, product-market strategy, and operational challenges.

The programme facilitates investor connections through roadshows, demo days, and networking events. The structured learning component includes a tailored curriculum, virtual incubation sessions, thematic workshops, and intensive bootcamps.

Post-programme support includes continued mentorship and networking opportunities beyond the programme duration. The programme doesn't require equity dilution from participating startups.

The Hausla Empowered Docuseries

Alongside Season 2's launch, Kotak released "Hausla Empowered," a four-part docuseries streaming on Amazon MX Player. The series spotlights founder journeys from the first cohort, profiling entrepreneurs from Belgaum, Indore, Pune, and Hyderabad.

Featured startups include Ambiator from Belgaum, which has developed sustainable air conditioning technology that reportedly uses 80% less electricity than conventional ACs, and Arc Robotics from Indore, which is developing flexible robotic arms to eliminate manual scavenging in confined, hazardous spaces.

The docuseries connects to Kotak's "Hausla Hai Toh Ho Jayega" brand philosophy, which translates to "If you have the courage, it will happen."

Strategic rationale

According to Kedarswamy Ravangave, EVP, Marketing, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, “Startups don’t die because of ideas, they die because they run out of oxygen: capital, mentorship, networks. Having folded a startup myself, I know that pain. Kotak BizLabs is designed to be that oxygen, and Hausla Empowered is proof that when you give courage a chance to breathe, it thrives. This is not a campaign, it’s a commitment.”

Rohit Bhasin, President, Head of Affluent, NRI, and Business Banking, and Chief Marketing Officer, stated: “India’s growth story is being rewritten by entrepreneurs who see possibilities where others see problems. ‘Hausla Empowered’ shines a light on these extraordinary builders, and on the quiet revolutions they are leading in sustainability, inclusion, and technology. Through the Kotak BizLabs Accelerator Programme, we aim to fuel ambition, resilience, and national progress. Because when entrepreneurs thrive, India advances.”

The programme addresses specific gaps in India's startup ecosystem, particularly for entrepreneurs beyond traditional venture capital networks who need mentorship, market access, and capital to navigate the early-growth phase.

Context and outlook

India is now recognized as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. Kotak BizLabs Season 2 represents a structured approach to supporting startups in smaller cities, where access to mentorship, market connections, and funding can be more limited than in metro areas.

By working through established incubator partners and expanding geographic reach, the programme aims to support early-revenue startups at a critical growth stage.

Application process and timeline

Applications for Kotak BizLabs Season 2 are currently open. Interested founders can CLICK HERE to register.