Business News | VergeCloud and KDEM Launch Dhruva: Rs 5 Crore in Cloud Infrastructure Credits for Indian Startups | LatestLY
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 26: VergeCloud, in official collaboration with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), has launched the Dhruva programme for Indian startups. The initiative allocates Rs 5 Crore in sponsored cloud infrastructure credits for over 1,100 eligible companies. From day one, selected startups gain no-cost access to VergeCloud’s CDN, WAF, DDoS protection, DNS, and edge infrastructure platform.
Many early-stage companies in India delay investments in security and performance infrastructure, treating them as optional until growth or incidents force action. This approach can quickly become a liability during breaches, outages, or compliance audits. With the DPDP Act 2023 and CERT-In requirements becoming enforceable across 2026, the gap between what startups need and what they can afford has emerged as a structural challenge for the ecosystem. Dhruva aims to close that gap by removing both the cost and capability barriers.
The Cyber Threat Reality for Indian Startups
India has more than 900 million internet users, the second-largest online population in the world—and one of the most targeted for cyberattacks. According to CloudSEK’s Threat Landscape Report 2024, 95 Indian entities were hit by data theft attacks in 2024 alone. Check Point Software Technologies reports that Indian organisations faced an average of 2,011 cyberattacks per week in 2025, well above the global average. Awareness is another hurdle: Proofpoint’s 2025 Voice of the CISO report indicates that 74 percent of Indian CISOs acknowledge their organisations are not fully prepared to respond to a cyberattack. Dhruva is designed to address both cost and readiness in tandem.
How the Dhruva Programme Works
Applications are reviewed by an independent five-member jury consisting of senior leaders from India’s premier technology institutions, national cybersecurity organisations, and global enterprises. Each submission is evaluated in anonymised form across multiple criteria, including product strength, industry vertical, infrastructure setup, user base, and growth trajectory. No single member has veto power. Selections will be announced on 5 July 2026.
Selected startups receive hands-on onboarding and configuration support, workshops on cloud security and scalability, and guidance to help meet compliance requirements under the DPDP Act 2023 and CERT-In directives. In alignment with KDEM’s Beyond Bengaluru initiative, startups from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities receive additional consideration. Target sectors include Fintech, Healthtech, Edtech, SaaS, OTT, Gaming, and AI companies.
Programme Tiers
- Nebula: For startups building the next big thing in India’s digital economy.
- Nova: For startups ready to grow fast without infrastructure becoming a bottleneck.
- Stellar: For platforms serving thousands of users across India daily.
- Cosmic: For companies with the scale and ambition to compete globally.
How to Apply
Any incorporated Indian startup operating as a private limited company can apply through the VergeCloud Dhruva programme page. The VergeCloud team aims to respond within 24 hours of submission. Applications close on 30 June 2026, and the jury conducts rolling reviews, so earlier submissions may be processed faster.
“I am pleased to announce that this collaboration with KDEM marks an important step toward strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. At VergeCloud, we believe that every startup should have access to world-class cloud security and high-performance infrastructure from day one. Through this initiative, we aim to empower startups across Karnataka and beyond to scale securely, innovate faster, and build globally competitive digital products,” said Rahul Raj Singh, Managing Director and CRO, VergeCloud Pvt. Ltd.
By coupling credits with expert guidance, Dhruva encourages young companies to build a secure, high-performance foundation from the outset—reducing risk, improving reliability, and accelerating time to market. As regulatory timelines approach and cyber threats intensify, initiatives like Dhruva could help set a new standard for how Indian startups launch, scale, and compete on the global stage.
