Applications Invited for Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG)

Follow us@ngobox

About the Organization

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs.

BIRAC is a industry-academia interface and implements its mandate through a wide range of impact initiatives, be it providing access to risk capital through targeted funding, technology transfer, IP management and handholding schemes that help bring innovation excellence to the biotech firms and make them globally competitive. In its Eight years of existence, BIRAC has initiated several schemes, networks and platforms that help to bridge the existing gaps in the industry-academia Innovation research and facilitate novel, high quality affordable products development through cutting edge technologies. BIRAC has initiated partnerships with several national and global partners to collaborate and deliver the salient features of its mandate.

About the Grant

The Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) is a flagship scheme of BIRAC which recognizes and invests in innovative ideas in the biotech sector. The ideas should have clear potential to translate into commercial products/technologies. BIG supports individual entrepreneurs/ start-ups from ideation to Proof of Concept (PoC). Under BIG scheme, BIRAC provides grant-in-aid of upto INR 50 lakhs (approx USD 75,000) for a period of 18 months.

BIG scheme:

• Supports ideation to PoC
• Nurtures entrepreneurship to enable translation of ideas into commercially viable products/ technologies to address unmet need
• Enables Biotech Startup Ecosystem in the country to become globally competitive

BIG scheme supports innovation under Healthcare, Lifesciences, Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Drugs, Vaccines, Drug Formulations and delivery systems, Industrial Biotechnology, Agriculture, Secondary agriculture, Waste Management, Sanitation, Clean Energy and related areas. The project proposals can be submitted in any of the following seven categories:

• Devices & Diagnostics
• Drugs including drug delivery
• Industrial Biotechnology including Secondary Agriculture
• Agriculture
• Biosimilars & Stem Cells
• Vaccines
• Bioinformatics & facilities

 BIRAC encourages proposals involving integration of Biotech with applied sciences that may include Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Sensors, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics and related disciplines to potentially facilitate transforming healthcare, lifesciences, agriculture, secondary agriculture and other bio-based industry/ markets.

How to Apply

• BIRAC issues a national call inviting applications under BIG at least twice a year (1st of January & 1 st of July ).
• The Call for Proposals is advertised through one or more means that may include BIRAC website, newspapers, journals and magazines.
• The Call for Proposals is typically open for a period of upto one and a half month.
• The BIG Scheme is implemented across the country through BIRAC’s BIG Partners. The Call will mention the names of BIG Partners for the particular call. Names of the BIG Partners and their responsibilities are mentioned in Annexure 2.
• Application for BIG needs to be submitted online ONLY through BIRAC website www.birac.nic.in.
• Applicants are advised to fill-up and submit their applications early without waiting for the last date in order to avoid last minute rush. Please note that the online system will stop accepting applications automatically at the specific date and time mentioned in the Call details.
• Applicants are advised to provide sufficient details in their applications to allow for an informed and fair evaluation/review.
• Requests for changes in a proposal once submitted will not be entertained.
• Providing incorrect information intentionally is viewed adversely and may lead to disqualification.

​For more information please check the Link

Tags Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Recycling and Waste Management Others