Bengaluru, August 12, 2026: SBI Foundation and NSRCEL, the startup hub at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore), have launched the second cohort of the Incubating Incubators (iCube) Initiative to strengthen the institutional capabilities of incubation centres across India.
The initiative, part of SBI Foundation’s Innovators for Bharat programme, focuses on supporting incubators rather than directly working with startups. Through institutional capacity building, peer learning, strategic mentoring and operational frameworks, iCube aims to help regional incubators develop stronger systems for supporting entrepreneurs.
The second cohort includes AIC MAGIC (Marathwada Accelerator for Growth & Incubation Council), an initiative of the Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture (CMIA); Incubation Centre, IIT Patna (IC IIT Patna); and The Tripura Institution for Transformation (TIFT).
As part of the programme, the participating incubators will become part of NSRCEL’s partnership ecosystem and gain access to specialised resources, mentors and experts. The programme also provides access to NSRCEL’s network of more than 110 mentors, industry-connect programmes, curated learning modules, institutional tools and strategic frameworks.
The second cohort builds on the experience of the first iCube cohort, which highlighted the need for incubation models tailored to factors such as geography, governance structures, sectoral priorities and local entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Mr. Subhadip Mondal, Team Lead – LEAP, SBI Foundation, said, “At SBI Foundation, through our Livelihood and Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (LEAP), we are committed to strengthening the foundations that enable entrepreneurship and innovation to thrive across India. Innovators for Bharat is a key part of this vision, with a focus on strengthening incubation ecosystems and enabling institutions to nurture entrepreneurs beyond metropolitan hubs. We believe that by equipping incubation centres with the right capabilities, resources and networks, we can unlock the immense potential of regional innovators and help ideas from across India translate into meaningful opportunities. Our partnership with NSRCEL through iCube reflects this shared vision of building a more inclusive and resilient innovation ecosystem that creates lasting impact for startups, communities and the nation’s economic growth.”
Addressing the launch, Rasika Prashant, CEO, NSRCEL, said: “With the Indian startup ecosystem growing, the next challenge is not the addition of more incubators, but the creation of robust incubators. Each region has its own issues, opportunities, regulations, and entrepreneurship scenario that makes it necessary for us to build contextualised incubation models rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. With the iCube initiative, we are creating a community of collaboration wherein incubators can learn from each other and build institutional capacity to help better founders, startups, and regional innovation ecosystems.”
The programme places greater emphasis on institutional reflection, strategic development, contextual problem-solving and peer-driven learning. Participating incubators will also be able to exchange experiences and adapt relevant practices to their regional contexts.
Representing one of the participating institutions, Dr. Kumar Siddharth Singh, Chief Manager, BioNEST, Incubation Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna, said: “Even after a decade of building an incubation ecosystem, we believe institutions must continuously evolve. Programs like iCube encourage honest reflection, help us identify gaps, and provide opportunities to learn from experienced peers. Strong incubators are built by constantly adapting, and we are excited to be part of a collaborative platform that enables exactly that.”
The initiative is intended to strengthen regional incubation institutions so they can support more founders, develop stronger startups and contribute to local employment and innovation ecosystems.
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