CED Pre-Incubation (CEDi)

CED’s Pre-Incubation (often referred to as “CEDi” / Pre-incubator) is a structured support pathway designed to take early-stage student ideas and help them mature into viable startup ventures before they enter formal incubation. It’s not just an orientation — it’s hands-on support with measurable outcomes:

⚙️ Core Components

1. Mentoring & Guided Coaching

  • 1-on-1 expert mentoring to refine problem statements, business models and go-to-market strategy.
  • Focus on converting raw ideas into prototype-ready solutions.
  • Guidance on application of Design Thinking, strategic planning and business validation.

2. Prototyping Support through MAKERS LAB

  • Access to tools and equipment for rapid prototype development (3D printing, PCB design tools, embedded systems, IoT devices, etc.).
  • CED’s Makers Lab is part of the pre-incubation ecosystem — not a separate group.

3. Business & Legal Support

  • Assistance with company registration steps, intellectual property (IP) advice, legal basics, funding readiness.
  • Help with applying for government-linked grants (e.g., Innovation Voucher Program) once pre-incubated.

4. Access to Network & Funding Pathways

  • Introductions to investors, industry mentors and ecosystem partners.
  • Connection with events like Startup Café and Startify where pre-incubated ideas can get visibility and early funding opportunities.

💰 Startups that Received Grants / Funding

Several startups nurtured through CED Pre-Incubation have successfully secured grants and funding support from government and ecosystem programs.

🔗 View List of Startups that Received Grants / Funding

🧪 What Happens During Pre-Incubation

The process — again, not hype — typically looks like this:

Idea Screening & Shortlisting

Ideas from students (and sometimes faculty) are reviewed. Viability is evaluated based on innovation potential & basic market sense.

Bootcamps & Workshops

Structured sessions on ideation, market validation, business modelling and prototyping skills.

Prototype Build & Review

Iterative development with feedback loops; prototypes are built in Makers Lab.

Pitching & External Exposure

Teams pitch to panels of mentors/investors; high-performers may get support to get seed funding or move toward full incubation.

“CED Pre-Incubator” helping nurture student innovations into early business ventures.
This is not an incubator in the sense of providing long-term residency or large funding — it’s specifically a pre-incubation funnel: idea → prototype → early validation → pathway to seed or formal incubation.

DPIIT-Recognised Startups

Out of the DPIIT-recognised startups associated with Anna University, 7 startups were supported through the CED Pre-Incubation Programme during the last five years. These startups received structured idea-stage mentoring and early-stage ecosystem support from CED before progressing towards formal incorporation and DPIIT recognition.

ME
MotorX
Vivi
Evoxia
Instagood

Notable Startups Supported by CED with Significant Funding

1. Meine Electric (Founded 2023)

  • Raised pre-seed funding of approximately ₹6.7 crore (~$750k) from Antler India, Rebalance, Venture Catalysts, gradCapital, and others, with support from the AIC–Anna University Incubation Foundation.
  • Receives mentoring and ecosystem support through Anna University’s incubation network tied to CED programmes.
Meine Electric Team

2. Goodness Farm

Dr. Maria Jenita, PhD, Founder of Goodness Farm, credits the support ecosystem around Anna University for helping her turn an idea into a working startup.

  • CED (Centre for Entrepreneurship Development) supported her at the idea and early-stage level.
  • Along with StartupTN and NaanMudhalvan, CED provided guidance and mentorship.
  • Enabled transformation from idea → enterprise.
Goodness Farm Founder ▶ Watch Founder Story

PROTOTYPING GRANTS BENEFICIARIES

S.No Name Team ID College Name
1T. Karthik Kumar (2020-21)CEDAU1-01College of Engineering, Guindy
2B. Dhinesh (2020-21)CEDAU1-02College of Engineering, Guindy
3Harini Kandaswamy (2021-22)CEDAU1-03College of Engineering, Guindy
4Renjith Kumar R (2023-24)CEDAU1-04ACTECH Anna University
5Ranjith K (2024-25)SC-591xvCollege of Engineering, Guindy
6Prathib Vamsi P (2024-25)CEDAU-06EDII-TN
7Harsh Chordia (2024-25)PX-5lg1jfCollege of Engineering, Guindy
8Ezhilarasan M (2024-25)CEDAU1-05Startup Walk-in
9Aswath Vishnu EPX-3ki6nJSRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirappalli
10S JeeveshSC-dyjltjPanimalar Engineering College
11AnjanarangarajanSC-9au7vSt. Joseph's College of Engineering, OMR, Chennai
12Jeziel Praise SonSC-9a9rgdRVS Educational Trust's Group of Institutions
13Aathavan ValanarasuSC-rea6geSt. Joseph's College of Engineering, OMR, Chennai
14SadhanaSC-oyp2tsAdhiyamaan College of Agriculture and Research
15Howard NikhilSC-ss0phbUniversity College of Engineering, Thirukuvalai
16Faheera Umu SalmaSC(BT)-fFRV5Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University
17DeepikaSC-qtithvSri Sairam Homoeopathy Medical College & Research Centre
18Mohammed AzgarSC-oajf6rR.M.D Engineering College
19TharaneeswharanSC-07g6moVelalar College of Engineering and Technology
20Vignesh SSC-wv04l9St. Joseph's College of Engineering, OMR, Chennai
21VijaykrishnaSC-9e48xsCollege of Engineering, Guindy
22Armaan PatnaikSC-eanbmkMadras Institute of Technology
23VetriprasathPX-875q6SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirappalli
24Prempradeep SSC-b4jkfxaR.M.K Engineering College
25Tharani P SSC-8s2knlSt. Joseph's College of Engineering
26Antanet Anusha GPX-xocu6Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University
27Sandiep LakshmanSC-vm5wp7College of Engineering, Guindy
28S VarshaaSC-ywojqqR.M.K Engineering College
29Purushothaman JSC-aodnsoCollege of Engineering, Guindy
30Santhoshkumar PSC-VotrgdP.A College of Engineering and Technology
31Mohammed Hussain BasithSC-83s9eoMadras Institute of Technology
32Mukesh KumarSC-fmdkiKCG College of Technology
33Vishnu Priya VSS-e7fr19Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University
34Akshay Karthikeyan SkSC-2us6kPSG College of Technology
35Kotha VamsiPX-cm2mrSaveetha Engineering College
36Harini PremkumarSC-j51bjjR.M.K Engineering College
37Arun NivethanSC-ireg2mSri Sairam Institute of Technology
38SatyendraIPO-ozm1kIIT Madras
39Reshma ChCEDAU-04Startup Walk-in
40Shabeera SSC-i8ijtAnand Institute of Higher Technology
41Ganesh Kumar PGP-zvvwziAnna University
42Thanvi MSC-ewhyplR.M.K Engineering College
43Semmozhi Selvam S PSC-8heiklCollege of Engineering, Guindy
44Kota NageshwarCEDAU-07Startup Walk-in
45ShirishSC-hetzhmCollege of Engineering, Guindy
46SriramPX-ptkk1College of Engineering, Guindy
47KeerthanaSC(BT)-36X8YAlagappa College of Technology, Anna University
48Suraj (8Bix)PX-9cgwliMeenakshi Sundarajan Engineering College
49SelvakumarCEDAU-01Startup Walk-in
50SaravananGP-003Startup Walk-in
51Nikarika RameshSS-xiv9foMepco Schlenk Engineering College
52Vishnu Prasanna DCEDAU-08Startup Walk-in
53Saigovind V / SadhanaSC-bgbq2fCollege of Engineering, Guindy
54Aruldha Raja Aiswarya CaSC-596dldCollege of Engineering, Guindy
55SanthoshjefersonSS-gxk3kpCollege of Engineering, Guindy
56Vigneshwaran ESC-xu2qlgCollege of Engineering, Guindy
57Salonica DSC-ox0pjdSri Venkateswara College of Engineering
58Jeremiah JaphetCEDAU-11College of Engineering, Guindy
59ParthsarathiSC-yd0hxdMadras Institute of Technology
60AlexIPO-ojc1rsRMK Engineering College
61NelsonCEDAU-25Startup Walk-in
62Shanmuga Pradeepan RSC-dg0kmSethu Institute of Technology
63Priya Roshni ASC-vnqnnmVels University, Pallavaram
64Liya Therese A JSS-6h7rbPSG College of Arts and Science
65Siva SubramaniyanSC-ug8ozmPSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research
66Anil KumarSC-os5t2wIIT Madras
67Naveen KannaSC-pcw53aPanimalar Engineering College
68Shakthi Prashanth GCEDAU-02Startup Walk-in
69Dhanesh KmSC-dbkdjsJeppiaar Institute of Technology
70Sivasubramani CSC-ecrjpqwVelammal Institute of Technology
71Kavyashri KPX-jq5l4jCollege of Engineering, Guindy
72Dr. R. SenthilnathanCEDAU-22Startup Walk-in
73Lakshmi PriyaCEDAU-05Startup Walk-in
74Jai Ganesh MCEDAU-03Startup Walk-in
75Sasikala NatarajamaniCEDAU-13Startup Walk-in
76Athithya Rayan RCEDAU-24Startup Walk-in
77Dr. N. VasudevanCEDAU-12Startup Walk-in
78Bharath MsSC-nryy8hMadras Institute of Technology
79TejashreeSC-v4m8fSathyabama Institute of Science and Technology
80P. Paneer SelvamSC-s98rzxKarpaga Vinayaga College of Engineering and Technology
81Rithuparan p sSC-slpbfeR.M.K Engineering College
82Barath RajSC-mnnn9nJansons Institute of Technology
83Maharaja Pandian GSC-towshHolycross Engineering College, Tuticorin
84Sharvesh SPX-x22sudPSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research
85GopikakanagarajSC-nx45iRagas Dental College and Hospital
86R V AswigaIPO-mf6d59Rajalakshmi Engineering College
87Dharshini CSC-qdmhpbVivekanandha College of Engineering for Women
88Sharvesh SPX-x22sudPSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research
89Maharaja Pandian GSC-towshHolycross Engineering College, Tuticorin
90V Vijaya KumarCEDAU-26Startup Walk-in
91Navinkrishna KCEDAU-27Startup Walk-in
92AKASH RSSC-e4ss8oSt. Joseph's College of Engineering, OMR, Chennai
93Krishnakumar PSC-s98rzxKarpaga Vinayaga College of Engineering and Technology
94Naveen KumarSC-3yn3ySt. Joseph's College of Engineering
95Kalyani PatraIPO-28zbruAgni College of Technology
96Jayambu Akash Siva TejaIPO-5av34mChennai Institute of Technology
97Dr. R. SenthilnathanCEDAU-23Startup Walk-in
98Praveen B BSC-8bhnkkPanimalar Engineering College
99SriranjanSC-wx4f45College of Engineering, Guindy
100Ms. M. Nirmaladevi SenthilkumarCEDAU-29Startup Walk-in
101MURUGANANTHAMCEDAU-30Startup Walk-in
102Madhu PragadeshwaranSC-nryy8hMadras Institute of Technology
103Nagendra DasariCEDAU-32Startup Walk-in
104Ruthresh ACEDAU-33Startup Walk-in
105Gayathri ASC-l8fdcSt. Joseph's Institute of Technology
Pre-Incubation Registration Form