The Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, convened its 11th Empowered Committee Meeting at the Conference Hall, Mantralaya, Porvorim, to accelerate the growth of the state’s startup ecosystem.
The meeting focused on reviewing and evaluating applications received under the Seed Capital Grant Scheme introduced as part of the Goa Startup Policy 2025.
The committee meeting was chaired by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and co-chaired by Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, along with Chandrakant Shetye, Chairman of ITG.
Senior government officials, industry representatives and startup ecosystem stakeholders participated in the evaluation process.
The Seed Capital Grant Scheme aims to provide early-stage financial assistance to startups that have developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Under the scheme, eligible startups can receive one-time financial support of up to ₹10 lakh to help overcome initial funding challenges and accelerate growth.
The Startup and IT Promotion Cell (SITPC) received 26 applications, which were reviewed by an expert committee. After detailed evaluation, 15 startups were recommended for consideration by the Empowered Committee.
The selected startups represented diverse sectors including:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Product Development
- Health Technology
- Media Technology
- Content Creation
- Food & Beverage Innovation
During the meeting, founders presented their ideas, solutions and business models. Applications were assessed on key parameters such as innovation, feasibility, scalability, revenue potential and long-term sustainability.
Speaking about Goa’s growing startup landscape, IT Minister Rohan Khaunte said the Seed Capital Grant Scheme was designed to remove early financial barriers and enable founders to focus on building scalable businesses.
He highlighted the success stories of Goan startups such as Molbio Diagnostics, Goa’s first unicorn, and Spintly, saying they demonstrate the state’s ability to create globally competitive companies.
The meeting also saw the presentation of grants to four educational institutions for establishing incubation centres.
The institutions receiving ₹10 lakh each included:
- Goa College of Engineering
- Government College of Arts, Science & Commerce Quepem
- Srinivassa Sinai Dempo College
- Parvatibai Chowgule College of Arts & Science
The Government of Goa said the continued increase in startup applications reflects the state’s emergence as an innovation and entrepreneurship hub.
Through initiatives like the Seed Capital Grant Scheme, incubation support and mentorship programmes, Goa aims to create an environment where founders can build, scale and succeed.
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