ISB DLabs: Incubation and acceleration arm of Indian School of Business. Founded 2015, Hyderabad. Supported by Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. 36 startups invested, 3 exits (Sirona $53.6M to Good Glamm Group 2021). Seed average $127K. Programs: Business Incubation Cohort (NIDHI-SSP), Build for Billions (Reserve Bank Innovation Hub), Cleantech Accelerator (Siemens), SaaS Incubation, ISPROUTE pre-incubation. Four pillars: Innovation-Led, Impact-Led, Community-Led, Growth-Led. Team 10 people. Portfolio: MoveInSync, Healthians, Sirona, TickTalkTo. Latest: Wundrsight, Ruskle. State-of-art workspace for entrepreneurs, mentors, investors. Here’s what founders should know about ISB’s innovation ecosystem.
What ISB DLabs Is
ISB DLabs is incubation and acceleration arm of Indian School of Business. Founded 2015, based Hyderabad campus.
Supported by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Operates under Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at ISB.
Mission: Help founders turn ideas into investable startups through mentorship, infrastructure, investor access, community support.
The Numbers
36 startups invested since 2015
3 portfolio exits (most recent: Sirona $53.6M)
11 Seed investments, $127K average
2 investments yearly average last 3 years
Team of 10 people
Latest investments: Wundrsight, Ruskle (2024)
Flagship Programs (2025-2026)
Business Incubation Cohort
Supported under NIDHI Seed Support Scheme by DST, Government of India. Provides financial assistance for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, commercialization.
Ensures timely seed support helping startups move to next level and succeed in marketplace.
Build for Billions
Launched with Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH). Accelerator program bridging gap between financial services and informal economy.
Focus: Making financial inclusion real for India’s unbanked and underbanked populations.
Cleantech Accelerator
In cooperation with Siemens. Flagship program supporting India’s most promising startups building in clean energy and sustainability.
Clean Energy Lab: India’s first incubation program supporting exceptional emerging leaders creating research-focused not-for-profit institutions (think tanks) in clean energy.
SaaS Incubation Program
Focuses on supporting early-stage startups working on SaaS-based solutions. Designed to help ventures become scalable and sustainable through capacity building, investor readiness workshops, one-on-one mentoring, market access, investor connect.
ISPROUTE Pre-Incubation
Flagship pre-incubation program catering to aspiring entrepreneurs. Helps founders at earliest stage validate ideas before full incubation.
The Four Pillars
Innovation-Led: Encouraging new ideas and disruptive technologies. Fostering creativity through tailored support and mentorship.
Impact-Led: Supporting startups solving social and environmental problems. Creating positive impact through purpose-driven business models.
Community-Led: Building supportive network of like-minded founders and industry experts. Shared work environment amidst healthy startup community.
Growth-Led: Accelerating business growth through access to funding, mentorship, expert guidance. Helping startups scale from idea to growth stage.
What Founders Actually Get
State-of-art workspace: Physical space on ISB Hyderabad campus for entrepreneurs to interact, engage, collaborate with mentors, investors, academia. Co-working space encouraging creativity and innovation.
Mentorship: Industry experts, successful founders, corporate leaders, ISB faculty providing structured guidance.
Investor access: Connections to angel investors, VCs, funding opportunities. Demo days and pitch events.
ISB ecosystem: Leverage vast resources, expertise, networks of Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Access to ISB’s global alumni network.
Financial assistance: Through NIDHI and other programs. Seed funding for proof of concept, commercialization.
Notable Portfolio
Sirona: Women’s hygiene brand acquired by Good Glamm Group for $53.6 million December 2021. Successful exit demonstrating DLabs’ ability to support scalable consumer businesses.
MoveInSync: Employee transportation solution. Raised multiple rounds, serving enterprises across India.
Healthians: Diagnostic services platform. Health tech success story from DLabs portfolio.
The Bottom Line
ISB DLabs: Founded 2015. DST-supported incubator at Indian School of Business Hyderabad.
Portfolio: 36 startups, 3 exits including Sirona $53.6M. Seed average $127K.
Programs: Business Incubation (NIDHI-SSP), Build for Billions (RBIH), Cleantech (Siemens), SaaS, ISPROUTE.
Four pillars: Innovation, Impact, Community, Growth. State-of-art workspace. ISB ecosystem access.
Visit: isbdlabs.org
If building startup in India, ISB DLabs offers academic rigor plus startup support at one of India’s premier business schools.
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