Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR)
Fellowship Programme

Supporting early-stage entrepreneurs

Selection criteria

SPJIMR students

• ADMAP track: Current SPJIMR programme students can join the WISE Tech ADMAP Committee to gain early access to the EIR programme. As part of this committee, participants will be exposed to the start-up ecosystem and have the opportunity to refine their start-up hypotheses.
• Entrepreneurship minor: This focused programme, open to SPJIMR students, will offer participants the unique opportunity to hone their start-up idea with support and mentorship from faculty and practitioners, engage with early stage venture activities, form a core team, and get ready to apply for the EIR programme.

Alumni of SPJIMR and Bhavan’s group of colleges

• Alumni of Bhavan’s group of colleges and SPJIMR and with a start-up idea can apply directly to the EIR programme by writing to applytoeir@spjimr.org. We welcome applications from our alumni at all stages of their start-up journey—idea, PoC, or MVP.
• In your email, please include the following details:
  • Year of graduation and programme
  • Detailed description of your start-up idea
  • Pitch deck, if available
• Once we receive your email, our team will contact you to understand how we can support your participation in the EIR programme.
• You can also apply for the gateway event.

Open pool

• Founders’ outside the Bhavan’s community can apply to the gateway event held in December-January.
• These founders must have a validated PoC or an operational MVP to be eligible for consideration in the programme. Idea-stage entries will only be accepted from participants associated with SPJIMR or Bhavan’s colleges.
• The next gateway event is expected to be held on January 18, 2025. You can register your interest in participating by signing up for the event.

Register now

Support

EIR programme participants benefit from the following:

Start-up coaching

• You will be paired with a start-up coach from WISE Tech’s pool of CXO mentors.
• Your coach will provide monthly sessions to offer guidance, support, and feedback as you develop your ideas.
• You can also access the broader panel of CXO mentors and WISE Tech leadership for additional insights and advice.

Start-up resources

• Access to a comprehensive start-up curriculum, including accelerator programmes and masterclasses, which are focused on helping founders through customer discovery and building scalable models.
• Opportunities to attend networking events and mixers to build your professional network and community.
• Invitations to exclusive WISE Tech events.
• Technology credits

Financial support

• A monthly allowance to cover your expenses.
• Milestone linked start-up grants to support commercialisation efforts.
• Facilitate government and private sector grants.
• Access to co-working space at the Sunil Bhatia Start-up Resource Hub.
• Accommodation at SPJIMR Mumbai campus (subject to availability).

Milestone-driven programme

• The programme is designed to help you achieve success through a structured, milestone-driven approach.
• We focus on achieving tangible results within 12 to 18 months, ensuring consistent progress and growth.
• You will receive a customised milestone plan tailored to your background and requirements, helping you stay on track and reach your goals.

Other key requirements

• The founders must register their start-ups before joining the programme.
• The start-ups will need to issue up to 2% incubation equity to WISE Tech. Intellectual property rights over the idea will remain with the start-up.
• The programme duration is 12 months, with the possibility of extension for up to 12 months based on performance. Start-ups that fail to meet milestones risk losing their place. Should a start-up need to exit the programme midway, they may reapply once they have met the milestones and regained compliance. The jury will then review their application for potential reinstatement.
• Graduation from the EIR programme is milestone-based, requiring start-ups to meet predefined goals in order to exit the programme successfully. Start-ups will receive a certificate of participation/completion based on their progress in the programme.
• To be eligible to receive a successful completion certificate, the founders must have achieved one or both of the following milestones:
  • The start-up has successfully raised pre-seed or seed funding; or
  • The start-up has achieved meaningful traction through revenue.

Register now