Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023

What is the Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023?

Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023 is the state government's framework for building a startup ecosystem in Uttarakhand, notified through Government Order No. 371 dated 17 March 2023 and hosted on the official Startup Uttarakhand portal at startuputtarakhand.uk.gov.in. The policy replaces the Uttarakhand Startup Policy 2018 and is implemented by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises wing of the Department of Industries, Government of Uttarakhand.

The Directorate of Industries is the nodal agency. According to the Startup Uttarakhand portal, the Director General / Commissioner Industries is the nodal officer for the ecosystem, and a dedicated Startup Cell handles day-to-day support for founders, incubators, mentors and investors. The Uttarakhand Startup Council issues the Certificate of Recognition that unlocks every financial benefit under the policy.

What the policy sets out to do

• Create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across Uttarakhand's plain and hill districts.
• Give early-stage founders a predictable cash runway so that a promising idea is not abandoned for want of living expenses.
• Build physical incubation capacity in the state rather than pushing founders to Delhi, Bengaluru or Gurugram.
• Give recognised startups a route into public procurement in place of the usual prior-experience and turnover barriers.

Who is eligible under the Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023?

Your entity can be recognised if:

• It is registered as a private limited company under the Companies Act 2013, a limited liability partnership under the LLP Act 2008, or a registered partnership firm under the Partnership Act 1932.
• Its registered office is in Uttarakhand, or it has an Uttarakhand office through which business operations are substantially conducted.
• Ten years or less have passed since the date of incorporation or registration.
• Turnover has not exceeded Rs 100 crore in any financial year since incorporation.
• It is working on innovation, development or improvement of a product, process or service, or has a scalable business model with high potential for employment or wealth generation.
• It employs at least 70% of its total full-time workforce from among Uttarakhand domiciles for the whole period of recognition. Contract and part-time staff are not counted towards this figure.

Your entity is not eligible and cannot apply if:

• It is a sole proprietorship or any unregistered body. A legal entity is compulsory before recognition.
• It was formed by splitting up or reconstructing a business already in existence.
• It is part of a family business or business group rather than an independent venture.
• It has crossed ten years from incorporation, or Rs 100 crore turnover in any past financial year.
• It has no operating presence in Uttarakhand and cannot meet the 70% local workforce condition.

Recognition is entity-level, not individual-level. A founder cannot apply in a personal capacity; the application is filed in the name of the company, LLP or firm.

How much money does the Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023 give?

Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023 also routes recognised startups into the benefits of the state MSME policy — special capital subsidy, interest subsidy, stamp duty exemption and SGST reimbursement assistance. Pre-incubation and incubation support is given free on a one-time basis, and startups run by women, SC, ST or physically handicapped founders get a 25% discount on the scheduled rates of incubators recognised by Startup Uttarakhand.

How to apply for Uttarakhand startup recognition and incentives

1. Register or sign up on the official portal at startuputtarakhand.uk.gov.in. Founders already recognised by DPIIT can log in with their Startup India credentials, and the basic details in the recognition form are auto-filled.
2. Fill the recognition form with the entity's basic details and upload the certificate of incorporation or registration along with a pitch deck or business plan describing the innovation and its scalability in employment or wealth creation.
3. Submit the recognition application to the Uttarakhand Startup Council and wait for approval. Once approved, download the system-generated, verifiable Certificate of Recognition from your dashboard.
4. Log back in and open the Apply for Incentives tab on the dashboard. Choose the incentive: sustenance allowance, seed funding, IP reimbursement or marketing support, fill the requested information, upload the documents and submit.
5. Track progress through the Check Application Status link on the portal.
6. For support in participating in a state, national or international exhibition, email the Startup Cell at startupcelluk@gmail.com with full event details and the organiser's proposal; the Task Force decides these case by case.

There is no offline application counter for recognition. Founders who need help can call the Startup Cell on +91-7055613052, working days, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

What documents does a startup need to upload?

How does a startup check application status?

Startup Uttarakhand provides a Check Application Status page on the portal. Log in with the same credentials used for recognition, open the status link, and the dashboard shows whether the recognition or the incentive claim is pending with the Startup Cell, under evaluation, approved or returned for clarification. The MIS Dashboard on the portal publishes ecosystem-level figures separately.

Why startup applications get rejected in Uttarakhand

• Wrong legal form. Sole proprietorships and unregistered firms are the most common rejection. Register as a private limited company, LLP or registered partnership first.
• Splitting or reconstruction. An entity carved out of an existing family business is explicitly excluded, and the Council checks shareholding patterns.
• No demonstrable innovation. A pitch deck that describes a trading or resale business without any improvement to a product, process or service will not clear evaluation.
• Workforce shortfall. Failing the 70% Uttarakhand-domicile full-time workforce test during the recognition period can cost the entity its status.
• Age or turnover breach. Crossing ten years from incorporation or Rs 100 crore turnover in any financial year ends eligibility.
• Incomplete uploads. A missing incorporation certificate or an unreadable business plan sends the file back and restarts the clock.

What non-financial support does the policy give?

Uttarakhand Startup Policy-2023 goes beyond cash. Recognised startups get:

• Public procurement preference. Startups recognised by DPIIT or Startup Uttarakhand get purchase preference and relaxation in prior experience, prior turnover and EMD submission under the Purchase Preference Policy 2019. Registration for this is done separately at doiuk.org, and state tenders are published at uktenders.gov.in.
• Single Window Clearance System. The Know Your Approvals tool on the startup portal, and registration at investuttarakhand.uk.gov.in, list the clearances a new firm needs before it starts operations.
• Mentoring and investor connect. The portal maintains lists of registered mentors, recognised incubators, nodal agencies and partner institutions.
• Regulatory issue redressal. Startups in disruptive sectors can raise a regulatory-issue ticket separately from an ordinary grievance.
• Rural Business Incubators. Two state-supported rural business incubators guide grassroots innovators from rural and hilly regions through awareness programmes, incubation, mentoring and seed funding. Grassroots innovation is defined as products or services developed by people domiciled in rural and hilly regions, self-help groups or community groups that solve a pressing local problem.

How to raise a grievance

Grievances go through the Grievance section of the Uttarakhand Startup Portal, where a ticket can be raised and tracked online. The Directorate of Industries states a turnaround of approximately 48 to 72 working hours, with the detailed process flow set out in Office Memorandum No. 2770/DI/2019/20 under the Notification tab of the portal.

• Startup Cell phone: +91-7055613052, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on working days
• Email: startupcelluk@gmail.com
• Nodal officer for the policy: Dr Deepak Murari, Directorate of Industries

Recognition and incentive applications on startuputtarakhand.uk.gov.in are free. No consultant is authorised to charge a fee for "getting your startup recognised" by the Uttarakhand Startup Council.