Opportunity Information: Apply for ND NOFO 20 113
Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to India, Public Affairs Section in New Delhi) grant opportunity designed to expand and strengthen an entrepreneurship incubator program based at the American Center New Delhi. The underlying idea is to help Indian startups learn from the skills, practices, and values associated with the American entrepreneurial ecosystem, while also building long-term cultural and economic connections between Indian entrepreneurs and U.S. investors, companies, and partners across the Indo-Pacific. The program builds on the original Nexus Start-up Hub launched in 2017, which positioned itself as a platform for sharing U.S. best practices with male and female entrepreneurs from across India and creating pathways to cross-border collaboration.
The opportunity reflects a track record of measurable outcomes from the earlier Nexus model. The hub has historically recruited three cohorts each year, with roughly 10 to 15 startup companies participating in each 10-week residential session. As of the announcement, Nexus had produced 97 alumni companies. Those graduates reportedly raised more than $6 million in funding, created over 1,000 new jobs, generated more than $4.7 million in revenue, and closed 28 deals with U.S. companies. In addition to the New Delhi-based residential programming, Nexus also piloted shorter formats in 2019, including 2.5-day entrepreneurship workshops in four other Indian cities and a targeted two-day workshop in Hyderabad focused on defense and military-sector startups, linked to a broader conference on U.S.-India defense cooperation. These past activities are used in the announcement to justify scaling the model and extending its reach.
Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 aims to broaden the program in three main directions. First, it proposes a full-time, India-wide residential incubator hub operating out of the American Center New Delhi, continuing the hands-on cohort model that supports early-stage companies through structured training and mentorship. Second, it calls for regional entrepreneurship workshops across India that concentrate on critical economic sectors, specifically health, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology; defense and military; agriculture; and higher education. Third, it adds a new emphasis on strengthening the broader incubation ecosystem by developing a series of training seminars for incubator managers across India, based on “state-of-the-art” American incubator management practices. This incubator-manager component is framed as a response to India’s large and growing incubation landscape (noted as 400+ incubators nationwide) and the observed demand for guidance, strategic support, and skills development among organizations that support entrepreneurs.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the award is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, indicating the U.S. government expects to have substantial involvement in shaping or overseeing the project’s implementation rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal engagement. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,000,000, with one award expected. The funding activity categories are Business and Commerce and Education, and the CFDA number provided is 19.040. The target start date for the project is January 1, 2021, signaling that applicants were expected to propose an implementation plan capable of launching quickly after selection.
Eligibility is limited to certain organization types: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The funding opportunity title is “Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0,” and the opportunity number is “ND NOFO 20 113.” The announcement was created on May 11, 2020, with an original closing date of July 31, 2020. Overall, the grant is structured to scale an established U.S.-India startup bridge program by combining (1) a central residential hub, (2) sector-focused regional workshops, and (3) professional training for incubator managers to amplify impact beyond a single location.Apply for ND NOFO 20 113
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the business and commerce, education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 11, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 (ND NOFO 20 113)
1) What is the Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 grant opportunity?
Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity (U.S. Mission to India, Public Affairs Section in New Delhi) to expand and strengthen an entrepreneurship incubator program based at the American Center New Delhi. The program is designed to help Indian startups learn from skills, practices, and values associated with the American entrepreneurial ecosystem and to build longer-term cultural and economic connections between Indian entrepreneurs and U.S. investors, companies, and partners across the Indo-Pacific.
2) Which U.S. government entity is offering this funding?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to India, Public Affairs Section in New Delhi.
3) What is the program trying to achieve?
The program aims to scale an established U.S.-India startup bridge model by: (1) operating a full-time India-wide residential incubator hub in New Delhi, (2) conducting sector-focused regional workshops across India, and (3) delivering training seminars for incubator managers using American incubator management practices.
4) Where will the main incubator activities take place?
The central residential incubator hub is based at the American Center New Delhi.
5) What are the three main components of Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0?
The opportunity describes three directions for expansion: (1) a full-time, India-wide residential incubator hub at the American Center New Delhi with cohorts and hands-on support; (2) regional entrepreneurship workshops across India focused on selected critical sectors; and (3) training seminars for incubator managers across India based on state-of-the-art American incubator management practices.
6) Which sectors are specifically targeted for the regional workshops?
The regional workshops are intended to concentrate on these sectors: health, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology; defense and military; agriculture; and higher education.
7) What is the purpose of the incubator manager training seminars?
The incubator-manager component is intended to strengthen India’s broader incubation ecosystem by building capacity among incubator managers nationwide, using American incubator management practices. The announcement frames this as a response to India’s large incubation landscape (noted as 400+ incubators) and demand for strategic support, guidance, and skills development among organizations that support entrepreneurs.
8) How does Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 relate to the original Nexus Start-up Hub?
Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0 builds on the original Nexus Start-up Hub launched in 2017. The earlier hub positioned itself as a platform for sharing U.S. best practices with male and female entrepreneurs across India and for creating pathways to cross-border collaboration.
9) What outcomes from the earlier Nexus model are cited in the announcement?
The announcement cites measurable outcomes from the prior model, including 97 alumni companies that reportedly raised more than $6 million in funding, created over 1,000 new jobs, generated more than $4.7 million in revenue, and closed 28 deals with U.S. companies.
10) What did the earlier Nexus program model look like (cohorts and timing)?
Historically, the hub recruited three cohorts per year, with roughly 10 to 15 startup companies participating in each 10-week residential session.
11) Were there activities outside New Delhi in the prior model?
Yes. The announcement notes that Nexus piloted shorter formats in 2019, including 2.5-day entrepreneurship workshops in four other Indian cities and a targeted two-day workshop in Hyderabad focused on defense and military-sector startups, linked to a broader conference on U.S.-India defense cooperation.
12) What type of award is this?
This funding is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
13) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
As described in the opportunity, a cooperative agreement indicates the U.S. government expects to have substantial involvement in shaping and/or overseeing the project’s implementation, rather than issuing a grant with minimal government engagement.
14) What is the maximum funding available (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $1,000,000.
15) How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates that one award is expected.
16) What are the funding activity categories for this opportunity?
The listed funding activity categories are Business and Commerce and Education.
17) What is the CFDA number for this grant?
The CFDA number provided in the opportunity is 19.040.
18) What is the official funding opportunity title and number?
The funding opportunity title is “Nexus Start-Up Hub 2.0,” and the opportunity number is “ND NOFO 20 113.”
19) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions).
20) When was the announcement created, and what was the closing date?
The announcement was created on May 11, 2020, and the original closing date listed is July 31, 2020.
21) What was the target project start date?
The target start date for the project is January 1, 2021.
22) What does the target start date imply about implementation timelines?
The opportunity notes a target start date of January 1, 2021, signaling applicants were expected to propose an implementation plan capable of launching quickly after selection.
23) What is the geographic scope of the program?
The program is described as India-wide, combining a New Delhi-based residential incubator hub with regional entrepreneurship workshops conducted across India.
24) How does the program support U.S.-India connections?
The program is intended to build long-term cultural and economic ties by connecting Indian entrepreneurs with U.S. investors, companies, and partners across the Indo-Pacific, while sharing skills, practices, and values associated with the American entrepreneurial ecosystem.
25) What is the basic rationale for scaling Nexus to a 2.0 model?
The opportunity uses the track record of the earlier Nexus model (alumni outcomes and prior multi-city workshops) to justify expanding the model’s reach and strengthening both startup support and the broader incubation ecosystem in India.
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