FAQ
Questions, answered directly.
Including the uncomfortable one about having no portfolio, which is the first thing any sensible founder would ask.
You have not invested in anyone yet. Why should I apply?
Because a first cohort gets attention no later cohort will. You are taking a real risk on an unproven incubator, and in exchange you get founders' terms, an empty office to shape, and people whose reputation depends entirely on your company working. If that trade does not appeal, we would rather you applied somewhere established — and we mean that.
How much do you invest, and what do you take?
Up to ₹50 lakh for 7–15%, on standard paperwork. Where you land in that band depends on the size of the cheque and how far along you already are — a larger cheque into an earlier company sits at the top of the range, a smaller one into a company with traction sits at the bottom. We publish the band rather than negotiating it privately, so no founder has to wonder whether someone else got a quieter, better deal.
Do I have to move to your city?
Yes, for the length of the programme. The desk is a large part of what we are offering and it does not work over video. If relocating is impossible for you right now, we are the wrong fit, and that is a scheduling problem rather than a judgement.
Do I need a working product?
No. A prototype helps, a deck does not particularly. What helps most is being able to explain the problem clearly and say what you have already tried.
Do I need a co-founder?
No. Solo founders are welcome. We will ask how you plan to cover the parts of the work you are weakest at, but that is a question we would ask a team of three as well.
What sectors do you actually fund?
Developer tools and infrastructure, games and engines, creator tools, consumer internet, and commerce and logistics. If your company sits between two of these, apply — the boundary cases are usually the interesting ones. If it sits well outside all of them, we are not the right room.
How long does the application take?
About twenty minutes to write. Every application is read by a person and you get a decision either way. We do not leave applications open indefinitely.
What does "sustainable" mean here? Is this an impact fund?
No, and we are wary of the label. We are a generalist incubator in five sectors. We simply have a stated preference: when two applications are genuinely close, we back the one whose success leaves things better rather than merely bigger. It is a tie-breaker we apply honestly, not a mandate we measure or market.
Do you take board seats?
Not at this stage. We take a minority position without board control. The decisions are yours.
What happens after the programme ends?
You keep the company and we keep our shares. If raising a round is the right next step we help with it on your timeline, and if it is not, we do not push you into one for the sake of an announcement.
Something we have not covered? Write tovpincubator@gmail.com and we will answer, and probably add it here.