It was a regular morning. I was sipping my first chai of the day, thinking about the future of TryonFit and how far we had come. I opened my inbox, and there it was an email from the incubator: “Congratulations! You’ve been selected for the NIDHI PRAYAS Grant.”
I had to reread it twice to believe it.
TryonFit, my third startup, had just secured ₹5 lakhs in funding under the prestigious NIDHI PRAYAS scheme. That moment was a mixture of excitement, relief, and pride. It felt like the kind of breakthrough every founder dreams about.
But this email didn’t arrive out of the blue. It was the result of weeks of preparation, years of experience, and the kind of relentless belief that every founder needs to keep going. I want to take a moment to walk you through the journey, how we got there, what the process looked like, and what’s next for us.
The Origin of TryonFit
Let me back up for a second.
TryonFit is a virtual beauty try-on platform. But it’s more than just seeing how a lipstick shade or foundation would look on your face.
We built an intelligent system that analyzes your skin tone, texture, and condition in real-time using AI, then recommends the beauty and skincare products that are right for you. Think of it as your personal beauty consultant, available anytime, anywhere.
The idea was born out of frustration—so many of us buy the wrong products online, and most beauty try-on tools are just basic filters. We wanted to build something smarter, more intuitive, and personalized.
We had the idea, the early version, and a clear roadmap. But we needed funding to bring the prototype to life and refine the product using real-world feedback.
Enter NIDHI PRAYAS
One day, I was discussing prototype funding options with a fellow founder when they mentioned NIDHI PRAYAS. I looked it up and was instantly intrigued.
NIDHI PRAYAS is a scheme by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, meant to support early-stage startups and innovators with grant funding to turn their ideas into working prototypes.
It was perfect. TryonFit was in the right stage, solving a real-world problem, and we had a strong technical angle with AI-driven skin analysis.
We just needed to tell our story well.
The Application Process
Step one was finding a recognized incubator under the PRAYAS program. After researching and reaching out to a few, I found the one that really understood our vision.
Then came the paperwork. I spent days crafting our proposal, making sure to communicate:
- What TryonFit is building
- Why skin-based product recommendations matter
- The market potential of the beauty tech space
- A detailed plan on how we’d use the ₹5 lakhs for our Prototype Development
I was honest about the challenges too and AI model accuracy, diverse skin types, and hardware limitations on low-end devices. But we had solutions lined up.
The Pitch
A few weeks later, I was invited to pitch in front of the selection committee. It was a panel of industry experts, tech mentors, and startup advisors.
The pitch was intense. They asked everything from our AI model’s training data to how we plan to scale it globally and some technical stuffs. Some even questioned whether people would trust an AI to tell them what suits their skin.
But I stayed grounded. I told them about the feedback we got from early testers, about the long list of brands wanting to partner once the MVP is ready, and how this grant could help us take the leap from concept to product.
And it worked.
That One Email
A few weeks later, the email landed in my inbox. We were selected. We had made it.
TryonFit was officially a NIDHI PRAYAS grantee, and we had secured ₹5 lakhs to build our next version. It felt like someone hit the “fast forward” button on our journey.
What This Funding Will Help Us Do
This grant gives us the ability to:
- Build a production-grade skin analysis and virtual try-on engine
- Collect data from diverse skin tones and improve our AI recommendations
- Test with real users and iterate based on feedback
- Onboard partner beauty brands into the platform
It’s more than money it’s time, freedom, and trust from the ecosystem.
My Learnings as a Founder
This wasn’t my first startup, but every venture is a new experience. Here’s what I learned during this journey:
- Storytelling matters – Whether it’s a pitch deck or a proposal, make it easy to understand. Show the real human problem you’re solving.
- Know your tech inside-out – If your product is tech-driven, make sure you can explain the core logic simply.
- Choose an incubator that gets you – Some incubators just check boxes. The right one will push you forward.
- Be patient and persistent – Rejections may come, timelines may stretch, but consistency pays off.
- Focus on impact – The government and incubators look for startups that create meaningful change, not just profit.
What’s Next for TryonFit
The next few months are all about building. We’re using the funding to:
- Develop a seamless experience
- Run pilot programs with users and beauty influencers
- Integrate with beauty brands who can plug their products into our recommendation system
Why I’m Sharing This
I believe that every startup story matters. Especially the early ones when things are uncertain, money is tight, and belief is the only constant.
If you’re building something and wondering how to take the next step, I hope this story gives you a nudge. NIDHI PRAYAS is just one of many opportunities out there—but it’s a powerful one if you’re ready to build.
If you ever want help applying or want feedback on your pitch, feel free to reach out. I’m more than happy to share what I’ve learned.
Let’s Stay Connected
I’ll be writing more about our product updates, learnings, and behind-the-scenes stories here on the blog. I’ll also share free resources and tools for early-stage founders—pitch deck templates, grant writing tips, and more.
If you haven’t already, join the newsletter and be part of this journey.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for believing. And thank you for building, dreaming, and doing—just like we are.
Congrats Dilip, keep it up!